Trojan-horse nanotube on-command intracellular drug delivery

Nano Lett. 2012 Nov 14;12(11):5475-80. doi: 10.1021/nl301865c. Epub 2012 Oct 25.

Abstract

A major challenge to nanomaterial-based medicine is the ability to release drugs on-command. Here, we describe an innovative drug delivery system based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs), in which compounds can be released inside cells from within the nanotube "on-command" by inductive heating with an external alternating current or pulsed magnetic field. Without inductive heating the drug remains safely inside the CNTs, showing no toxicity in cell viability tests. Similar to the "Trojan-Horse" in function, we demonstrate the delivery of a combination of chemotherapeutic agents with low aqueous solubility, paclitaxel (Taxol), and C6-ceramide, to multidrug resistant pancreatic cancer cells. Nanotube encapsulation permitted the drugs to be used at a 100-fold lower concentration compared to exogenous treatment yet achieve a comparable ~70% cancer kill rate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / administration & dosage
  • Apoptosis
  • Cell Survival
  • Ceramides / administration & dosage
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Humans
  • Materials Testing
  • Nanomedicine / methods
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Nanotubes / chemistry*
  • Paclitaxel / administration & dosage
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Solubility
  • Tetrazolium Salts / pharmacology
  • Thiazoles / pharmacology

Substances

  • Ceramides
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Tetrazolium Salts
  • Thiazoles
  • N-caproylsphingosine
  • thiazolyl blue
  • Paclitaxel