Construction of Redox-Responsive PEG Cloaked Mesoporous Silica Core-Shell Nanoparticles: Examination of Prostate Cancer Cells Proliferation and Apoptosis Induction

Regulating the release of drugs and limiting their accumulation in healthy tissues is highly beneficial. This study employed core mesoporous silica (MS) nanoparticles, encapsulated with Vincristine sulphate (VC) and cloaked with non-porous shell silica modified with the disulfide bonds (SS). The MS was cloaked with polyethylene glycol (PEG) through disulfide bonds (PEG/NH 2 -MS@VC-SS). We examined the physicochemical characteristics of MS, encompassing XRD patterns, FTIR spectra, SEM, TEM, DLS, and zeta potential. The drug release pattern was assessed using different glutathione (GSH) levels. The nanoparticle cell uptake of the cell lines was evaluated. Additionally, the nanoparticle’s cell survival and ability to trigger apoptosis in the PC3 cell lines was assessed by MTT assay. The NPs-treated PC3 cell lines were imagined through fluorescent microscopy using acridine orange/propidium iodide (AO/PI) staining, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), and propidium iodide (PI) staining. Our study demonstrated that the release of VC from the PEG/NH 2 -MS@VC-SS was responsive to redox conditions. Outcomes showed increased cellular absorption and effective apoptosis induction, highlighting the promising capability of these redox-response DDSs for prostate cancer treatment.