Platinum complexes of curcumin delivered by dual-responsive polymeric nanoparticles improve chemotherapeutic efficacy based on the enhanced anti-metastasis activity and reduce side effects

Platinum-based chemotherapy is used for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, it has side effects and minimum efficacy against lung cancer metastasis. In this study, platinum–curcumin complexes were loaded into pH and redox dual-responsive nanoparticles (denoted as Pt– [email protected] ) to facilitate intracellular release and synergistic anti-cancer effects. Pt– [email protected] was prepared by a nano-precipitation method and had a diameter of ∼100 nm. The nanoparticles showed increased anti-cancer effects both in vivo and in vitro . In addition, Pt– [email protected] blocked PI3K/AKT signal transduction pathway and inhibited MMP2 and VEGFR2, resulting in enhanced anti-metastatic activity. Furthermore, reduced side effects were also observed. In conclusion, Pt– [email protected] provided a novel and attractive therapeutic strategy for NSCLC.