Engineering biodegradable periodic mesoporous functionalized-organosilica nanocarriers for efficient paclitaxel delivery

Periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) materials have attracted considerable attention as promising nanocarriers to improve the therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs. Herein, a new type of biodegradable disulfide-based PMO was synthesized by incorporating disulfide linkers into the silica framework of nanoparticles (NPs). The homogeneous spherical morphology with an average size of 50 nm is observed by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the physicochemical characterizations were also performed by using Fourier transform infrared spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the presence of disulfide in the structure of NPs. It is notable that the disulfide moieties incorporated into the structure of NPs lead to fast degradation, within 5 days to complete degradation. Paclitaxel (PTX), a hydrophobic anticancer drug, was loaded into the porous particles with a high loading capacity up to 602 mg.g−1. A large amount of PTX was released at the early stage of the release process in the phosphate buffer saline solution containing reduced glutathione and then released slowly at a steady rate. The effective cellular uptake of NPs into malignant cells and normal cells also demonstrated. PTX-loaded NPs exhibited higher anticancer activity against cancer cells as compared to free PTX, indicating the potential nanocarrier for cancer therapy. [Display omitted] •Novel biodegradable disulfide-based nanoparticles were successfully synthesized.•The synthesized nanoparticles have small size with an average size of 50 nm.•Hydrophobic paclitaxel was loaded into nanoparticles with high loading capacity up to 602 mg.g−1.•Release profiles demonstrated the enhance of solubility of poor soluble paclitaxel.•Paclitaxel-loaded NPs exhibited higher anticancer activity against cancer cells as compared to free paclitaxel.