Dual-Responsive Micelles with Aggregation-Induced Emission Feature and Two-Photon Aborsption for Accurate Drug Delivery and Bioimaging

Bioconjug Chem. 2019 Jul 17;30(7):2075-2087. doi: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.9b00364. Epub 2019 Jul 1.

Abstract

Intelligent polymeric micelles provide great potential for accurate cancer theranostics. Herein, gemcitabine (GEM)-conjugated redox-responsive prodrug micelles based on a pH-responsive charge-conventional PMPC-b-P (DEMA-co-SS-GEM-co-TPMA) copolymer and a two-photon absorbing aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorescence probe have been developed for lysosome-targeted drug release and bioimaging. The multifunctional copolymer has been synthesized via RAFT polymerization, and GEM is conjugated to the copolymer via GSH-cleavable disulfide bonds. These GEM-conjugated micelles exhibit great pH responsiveness at pH 5.0, while being stable at pH 6.0. GSH-triggered drug release can be observed with the GSH concentration increased from 0 to 10 mM. Moreover, the high-quality AIE-active two-photon imaging is confirmed by cell and deep-tissue imaging. More importantly, the distribution of these nanocarriers can be traced because of the AIE feature of the micelles. Along with good in vitro and in vivo tumor-suppression ability and significantly reduced side effects, this smart two-photon AIE micelle would be a potential candidate for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / administration & dosage*
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / therapeutic use
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Delayed-Action Preparations / chemistry*
  • Deoxycytidine / administration & dosage
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Deoxycytidine / therapeutic use
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry*
  • Gemcitabine
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Micelles
  • Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Optical Imaging
  • Polymers / chemistry*

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Delayed-Action Preparations
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Micelles
  • Polymers
  • Deoxycytidine
  • Gemcitabine