Aptamer-Capped Multifunctional Mesoporous Strontium Hydroxyapatite Nanovehicle for Cancer-Cell-Responsive Drug Delivery and Imaging

• Published in: Biomacromolecules Vol. 13; no. 12; pp. 4257 - 4263
• Main Authors: Li, Zhenhua, Liu, Zhen, Yin, Meili, Yang, Xinjian, Yuan, Qinghai, Ren, Jinsong, Qu, Xiaogang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 10.12.2012
• Subjects: Animals; Antineoplastic agents; Aptamers, Nucleotide - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Chemotherapy; Contrast media. Radiopharmaceuticals; Doxorubicin - pharmacology; Drug Carriers - chemical synthesis; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; Gadolinium - pharmacology; Humans; Hydroxyapatites - chemistry; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; MCF-7 Cells; Medical sciences; Mice; Nanotechnology; Nanotubes - chemistry; NIH 3T3 Cells; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Strontium - chemistry; Antineoplastic agent; Human; DNA topoisomerase (ATP-hydrolysing); Pharmaceutical technology; Enzyme; Controlled release form; Enzyme inhibitor; Magnetic resonance contrast agent; Gadolinium; Drug carrier; Hydroxyapatite; Topoisomerase II inhibitor; Doxorubicin; Strontium; Isomerases; Animal; Dosage form; Medical imagery; Anthracyclins; Aptamer; Nanorod; Nanotechnology
• ISSN: 1525-7797; 1526-4602
• DOI: 10.1021/bm301563q

A novel cancer-cells-triggered controlled-release gadolinium-doped luminescent and mesoporous strontium hydroxyapatite nanorods (designated as Gd:SrHap nanorods) system using cell-type-specific aptamers as caps has been constructed. Aptamers behave as a dual-functional molecule that acts as not only a lid but also a targeted molecular that can be used in an effective way for therapeutically special cancer cells. After incubated with cancer cells, for example, MCF-7 cells, the doxorubicin-loaded and aptamer-capped Gd:SrHap nanorods (designated as Gd:SrHap-Dox-aptamer) can be internalized into MCF-7 cells, resulting in the pore opening and drug releasing. Furthermore, the high biocompatibility and biodegradability Gd:SrHap nanorods with blue autofluorescence and paramagnetism could serve as a good contrast agent of targeting fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging. We envision that this Gd:SrHap system could play a significant role in developing new generations of site-selective, controlled-release delivery and interactive sensory nanodevices.