On-demand drug delivery systems using nanofibers have attracted significant attention owing to their controllable properties for drug release through external stimuli. Near-infrared (NIR)-responsive nanofibers provide a platform where the drug release profile can be achieved by the on-demand supply of drugs at a desired dose for cancer therapy. Nanomaterials such as gold nanorods (GNRs) exhibit absorbance in the NIR range, and in response to NIR irradiation, they generate heat as a result of a plasmon resonance effect. In this study, we designed poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) composite nanofibers containing GNRs. PNIPAM is a heat-reactive polymer that provides a swelling and deswelling property to the nanofibers. Electrospun nanofibers have a large surface-area-to-volume ratio, which is used to effectively deliver large quantities of drugs. In this platform, both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs can be introduced and manipulated. On-demand drug delivery systems were obtained through stimuli-responsive nanofibers containing GNRs and PNIPAM. Upon NIR irradiation, the heat generated by the GNRs ensures shrinking of the nanofibers owing to the thermal response of PNIPAM, thereby resulting in a controlled drug release. The versatility of the light-responsive nanofibers as a drug delivery platform was confirmed in cell studies, indicating the advantages of the swelling and deswelling property of the nanofibers and on-off drug release behavior with good biocompatibility. In addition, the system has potential for the combination of chemotherapy with multiple drugs to enhance the effectiveness of complex cancer treatments.
Keywords: electrospun nanofibers; gold nanorods; on-demand drug delivery systems; poly (N-isopropylacrylamide).