A pH/ROS Cascade-Responsive Charge-Reversal Nanosystem with Self-Amplified Drug Release for Synergistic Oxidation-Chemotherapy.

ABSTRACT: Poor cell uptake of drugs is one of the major challenges for anticancer therapy. Moreover, the inability to release adequate drug at tumor sites and inherent multidrug resistance (MDR) may further limit the therapeutic effect. Herein, a delivery nanosystem with a charge-reversal capability and self-amplifiable drug release pattern is constructed by encapsulating β-lapachone in pH/ROS cascade-responsive polymeric prodrug micelle. The surface charge of this micellar system would be converted from negative to positive for enhanced tumor cell uptake in response to the weakly acidic tumor microenvironment. Subsequently, the cascade-responsive micellar system could be dissociated in a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-rich intracellular environment, resulting in cytoplasmic release of β-lapachone an

SUBMITTER: Dai L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6382314 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature