Wang Xin,Li Lingxiao,Wang Danping,Zuo Shiyi,Liu Tian,Dong Fudan,Zhang Xuanbo,He Zhonggui,Sun Bingjun,Sun Jin
Prodrug-based nanoassembly emerges as a hopeful way for the efficient delivery of antitumor drugs, with carrier-free structure and ultra-high drug loading. Carbon chains are widely used to design self-assembling prodrugs. The impacts of the length of carbon chains on the self-assembly stability, drug delivery efficiency and antitumor effect of prodrugs have not been fully elucidated. Here, three paclitaxel prodrugs were synthesized by conjugating paclitaxel with octanol (C 8 ), decanol (C 10 ) or dodecanol (C 12 ) through disulfide bond. The three prodrugs could form homogeneous nanoparticles, with over 50% drug loading and redox dual-responsivity. Interestingly, the length extension of carbon chains ameliorates the self-assembly and the colloidal stability of prodrugs, thus improving the drug delivery efficiency. The optimal paclitaxel-dodecanol prodrug nanoassemblies exhibit better antitumor efficacy than Taxol and Abraxane. These findings are meaningful for the rational design of advanced nanomedicines in cancer therapy.
Yawei Du,Zhi Wang,Tao Wang,Wei He,Wenya Zhou,Man Li,Chen Yao,Xinsong Li
The microtubule inhibitor paclitaxel (PTX) is used to treat a wide range of solid tumors. Due to the poor aqueous solubility of PTX, a continuous demand for safe, efficient PTX formulations with improved antitumor activity exists. Here, we report a novel form of redox-sensitive paclitaxel (PTX)-encapsulated liposomes based on the previously developed disulfide phosphatidylcholine (SS-PC). PTX-loaded stealth liposomes (PTX/SS-LP) composed of SS-PC, 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-PEG2000 (DSPE-PEG2000), and cholesterol were prepared using the reverse-phase evaporation method. The characterization of the PTX/SS-LP liposomes using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy confirmed their uniform particle size and typical unilamellar vesicle structure with an average bilayer thickness of approximately 4 nm. Changes in the size and morphology as well as the rapid release of PTX triggered by the addition of dithiothreitol revealed the redox sensitivity of PTX/SS-LP. Finally, evaluations in MCF-7 and A549 cells in vitro and in BALB/c mice in vivo revealed the improved anticancer efficiency, biodistribution, and safety of PTX/SS-LP compared with those of Taxol and nonredox-sensitive PTX/LP. In conclusion, PTX/SS-LP displays a redox-responsive release of paclitaxel with improved antitumor activity and has great potential as a next-generation stealth liposomal PTX delivery system.