Journal of Controlled Release 2016-03-28

Stepwise pH-responsive nanoparticles containing charge-reversible pullulan-based shells and poly(β-amino ester)/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) cores as carriers of anticancer drugs for combination therapy on hepatocellular carcinoma.

Cong Zhang, Tong An, Dan Wang, Guoyun Wan, Mingming Zhang, Hemei Wang, Sipei Zhang, Rongshan Li, Xiaoying Yang, Yinsong Wang

Index: J. Control. Release 226 , 193-204, (2016)

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Abstract

Stepwise pH-responsive nanoparticle system containing charge reversible pullulan-based (CAPL) shell and poly(β-amino ester) (PBAE)/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLAG) core is designed to be used as carriers of paclitaxel (PTX) and combretastatin A4 (CA4) for combining antiangiogenesis and chemotherapy to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). CAPL-coated PBAE/PLGA (CAPL/PBAE/PLGA) nanoparticles displayed step-by-step responses to weakly acidic tumor microenvironment (pH ≈6.5) and endo/lysosome (pH ≈5.5) respectively through the cleavage of β-carboxylic amide bond in CAPL and the "proton-sponge" effect of PBAE, thus realized the efficient and orderly releases of CA4 and PTX. In human HCC HepG2 cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells, CAPL/PBAE/PLGA nanoparticles significantly enhanced synergistic effects of PTX and CA4 on cell proliferation and cell migration. In HepG2 tumor-bearing mice, CAPL/PBAE/PLGA nanoparticles showed excellent tumor-targeting capability and remarkably increased inhibitory effects of PTX and CA4 on tumor growth and angiogenesis. In conclusion, this novel nanoparticle system is a promising candidate as carrier for drugs against HCC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.