Nanochemistry Modulates Intracellular Decomposition Routes of S‐Nitrosothiol Modified Silica‐Based Nanoparticles

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Vol. 17; no. 21; pp. e2007671 - n/a
• Main Authors: Theivendran, Shevanuja, Yu, Chengzhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.05.2021
• Subjects: Ammonia; cancer therapy; Decomposition; Glutathione; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Nitric oxide; NO donor; organosilica; Silicon dioxide; s‐nitrosothiol; cancer therapy; organosilica; s-nitrosothiol; NO donor
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202007671

Cellular delivery of nitric oxide (NO) using NO donor moieties such as S‐nitrosothiol (SNO) is of great interest for various applications. However, understandings of the intracellular decomposition routes of SNO toward either NO or ammonia (NH3) production are surprisingly scarce. Herein, the first report of SNO modified mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles with tetrasulfide bonds for enhanced intracellular NO delivery, ≈10 times higher than a commercial NO donor, is presented. The tetrasulfide chemistry modulates the SNO decomposition by shifting from NH3 to NO production in glutathione rich cancer cells. This study provides a new strategy to control the NO level in biological systems. Nano‐chemistry mediated shift in the intracellular decomposition routes of s‐nitrosothiol (SNO) is demonstrated. SNO modified mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles modulate SNO decomposition in glutathione rich cancer cells and enhance nitric oxide production, ≈10 times higher than a commercial nitric oxide donor, while inhibiting ammonia production.