Can Photothermal Post-Operative Cancer Treatment Be Induced by a Thermal Trigger?

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2021 Dec 29;13(51):60837-60851. doi: 10.1021/acsami.1c16283. Epub 2021 Dec 16.

Abstract

One of the current challenges in the post-operative treatment of breast cancer is to develop a local therapeutic vector for preventing recurrence and metastasis. Herein, we develop a core-shell fibrous scaffold comprising phase-change materials and photothermal/chemotherapy agents, as a thermal trigger for programmable-response drug release and synergistic treatment. The scaffold is obtained by in situ growth of a zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) shell on the surface of poly(butylene succinate)/lauric acid (PBS/LA) phase-change fibers (PCFs) to create PCF@ZIF-8. After optimizing the core-shell and phase transition behavior, gold nanorods (GNRs) and doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) co-loaded PCF@ZIF-8 scaffolds were shown to significantly enhance in vitro and in vivo anticancer efficacy. In a healthy tissue microenvironment at pH 7.4, the ZIF-8 shell ensures the sustained release of DOX. If the tumor recurs, the acidic microenvironment induces the decomposition of the ZIF-8 shell. Under the second near-infrared (NIR-II) laser treatment, GNR-induced thermal not only directly destroys the relapsed tumor cells but also accelerates DOX release by inducing the phase transition of LA. Our study sheds light on a well-designed programmable-response trigger, which provides a promising strategy for post-operative recurrence prevention of cancer.

Keywords: core−shell fiber; electrospinning; phase-change fiber; photothermal-chemotherapy; post-operative cancer recurrence; programmable-response.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / chemistry
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / pharmacology*
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry
  • Butylene Glycols / chemistry*
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Doxorubicin / chemistry
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology*
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lauric Acids / chemistry
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Materials Testing
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Particle Size
  • Phototherapy*
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Zeolites / chemistry

Substances

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Butylene Glycols
  • Lauric Acids
  • Polymers
  • bionole
  • lauric acid
  • Zeolites
  • Doxorubicin