Transferrin receptors/magnetic resonance dual-targeted nanoplatform for precise chemo-photodynamic synergistic cancer therapy

Various drug delivery strategies to improve cancer therapeutic efficacy have been actively investigated. One major challenge is to improve the targeting ability. Here elaborately designed nanocarriers (NCs) named as Tf-5-ALA-PTX-NCs are demonstrated to address this problem. In this nanostructure, paclitaxel (PTX) and 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) were co-encapsulated within magnetic nanocarriers to achieve synergistic chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy, while transferrin (Tf) was conjugated with modified copolymer Pluronic P123 and embedded in the surface of the nanocarriers, which endows nanocarriers with Tf targeting and magnetic targeting to enhance the anti-tumor outcome. Results demonstrated that Tf-5-ALA-PTX-NCs significantly enhanced the targeting drug delivery to MCF-7 cells and synergistically induced apoptosis and death of MCF-7 cells in vitro and highly efficient tumor ablation in vivo. Intriguingly, Tf-5-ALA-PTX-NCs have a controllable “on/off” switch to enhance the drug release. The dual-targeted nanocarriers would be a promising versatile anti-tumor drug delivery and imaging-guided cancer chemo-photodynamic synchronization therapy strategy. In this magnetic response-based nanostructure (named as Tf-5-ALA-PTX-NCs), paclitaxel (PTX) and 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) were co-encapsulated into the magnetic nanocarriers (NCs) for the programmable combination of chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT), while transferrin (Tf) was conjugated with modified amphiphilic block copolymer Pluronic P123 and embedded in the surface of the nanocarriers, which makes the dual-targeted drug delivery particles offer receptor mediated targeting and magnetic targeting to enhance the anti-tumor outcome. The fabricated Tf-5-ALA-PTX-MLs can perform as a highly efficient imaging agent and drug delivery nanoplatform to achieve tumor specific targeted NIR imaging and enhanced antitumor efficacy via synergistic chemo-photodynamic treatment. [Display omitted]