Surface charge switchable nano-micelle for pH/redox-triggered and endosomal escape mediated co-delivery of doxorubicin and paclitaxel in treatment of lung adenocarcinoma

Recently, the stimulus-sensitive drug co-delivery system has gained increasing attentions in the clinic and exhibits improved efficiency rather than the mono-chemotherapy in anti-tumor therapy. Herein, the smart charge switchable nano-micelles (NMs) were fabricated for the endosomal escape mediated co-delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) and paclitaxel (PTX) in treatment of lung adenocarcinoma. The disulfide bonds were facilitated as the linker of the polymer backbone to achieve the redox-sensitive degradation by high intracellular GSH, and acid-liable DMMA was grafted onto DOX molecules for pH-triggered drug release under acidic tumoral microenvironment. Folic acid (FA) was utilized as targeting molecule for facilitating entry of the as prepared NMs into cancer cells. Remarkably, the as fabricated NMs exhibited surface charge-switch from negative to positive during transmitting from physiological pH to the tumor extracellular pH, which can improve the cellular internalization towards cancer cell. Subsequently, the “proton-sponge” effect mediated endosome escape of the NMs was facilitated in the acidic endo/lysosome environment. By the cell assay, the NMs possessed good biocompatibility, excellent cellular uptake, and improved inhibition rate against cancer cell. Moreover, the co-delivery of DOX/PTX exhibited synergistic and enhanced solid tumor inhibition efficiency comparing to mono-chemotherapy in A-549 tumor bearing mice model. Based on above experimental results, the as prepared drug co-delivery system showed promising biosafety and potentials for efficient lung adenocarcinoma treatment in clinic.