Photoreactive Mercury-Containing Metallosupramolecular Nanoparticles with Tailorable Properties That Promote Enhanced Cellular Uptake for Effective Cancer Chemotherapy

Biomacromolecules. 2023 Feb 13;24(2):943-956. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01369. Epub 2023 Jan 16.

Abstract

A new potential route to enhance the efficiency of supramolecular polymers for cancer chemotherapy was successfully demonstrated by employing a photosensitive metallosupramolecular polymer (Hg-BU-PPG) containing an oligomeric poly(propylene glycol) backbone and highly sensitive pH-responsive uracil-mercury-uracil (U-Hg-U) bridges. This route holds great promise as a multifunctional bioactive nano-object for development of more efficient and safer cancer chemotherapy. Owing to the formation of uracil photodimers induced by ultraviolet irradiation, Hg-BU-PPG can form a photo-cross-linked structure and spontaneously forms spherical nanoparticles in aqueous solution. The irradiated nanoparticles possess many unique characteristics, such as unique fluorescence behavior, highly sensitive pH-responsiveness, and intriguing phase transition behavior in aqueous solution as well as high structural stability and antihemolytic activity in biological media. More importantly, a series of cellular studies clearly confirmed that the U-Hg-U photo-cross-links in the irradiated nanoparticles substantially enhance their selective cellular uptake by cancer cells via macropinocytosis and the mercury-loaded nanoparticles subsequently induce higher levels of cytotoxicity in cancer cells (compared to non-irradiated nanoparticles), without harming normal cells. These results are mainly attributed to cancer cell microenvironment-triggered release of mercury ions from disassembled nanoparticles, which rapidly induce massive levels of apoptosis in cancer cells. Overall, the pH-sensitive U-Hg-U photo-cross-links within this newly discovered supramolecular system are an indispensable factor that offers a potential path to remarkably enhance the selective therapeutic effects of functional nanoparticles toward cancer cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Drug Carriers / chemistry
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Mercury*
  • Nanoparticles* / chemistry
  • Neoplasms*
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Uracil / chemistry

Substances

  • Mercury
  • Polymers
  • Drug Carriers
  • Uracil