Targeted delivery and controlled release of doxorubicin to cancer cells by smart ATP-responsive Y-shaped DNA structure-capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles.

In this study, a dual-receptor doxorubicin-targeted delivery system based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) modified with mucine-1 and ATP aptamers (DOX@MSNs-Apts) was developed. An amine-modified mucine-1 (MUC1) aptamer was covalently anchored on the surface of carboxyl-functionalized MSNs. Then, ATP aptamers (ATP1 and ATP2 aptamers) were immobilized on the surface of MSNs through partial hybridization with the MUC1 aptamer by forming a Y-shaped DNA structure on the MSNs surface (DOX@MSNs-Apts) as a gatekeeper. The developed DOX@MSNs-Apts exhibited high DOX loading capacity. In addition, it indicated an ATP-responsive feature, leading to the release of DOX in the environment with high ATP concentration (10 mM), similar to the intracellular environment of tumor cells. This property demonstrated that anticancer drug (DOX) could be entrapped inside the nanocarrier with nearly no leakage in blood and a very low concentration of ATP (1 μM). It was found that after the internalization of DOX@MSNs-MUC1 by cancer cells via the MUC1 receptor-mediated endocytosis, the ATP aptamers left the surface of the nanocarrier, allowing for rapid DOX release. DOX@MSNs-Apts indicated higher cellular uptake in MCF-7 and C26 cancer cells (MUC1+), rather than CHO cells (MUC1-). The in vitro cytotoxicity and the in vivo antitumor efficacy of DOX@MSNs-Apts showed greater cytotoxicity than the nanoparticles decorated with scrambled ATP aptamers (DOX@MSNs-Apts scrambled) in C26 and MCF-7 cell lines (MUC1+). The biodistribution and in vivo anticancer efficacy on the C26 tumor bearing mice indicated that the DOX@MSNs-Apts had a higher tumor accumulation and superior tumor growth inhibitory effect compared to free DOX and their scrambled aptamers, DOX@MSNs-Apts scrambled. Overall, the obtained results indicated that the prepared smart platform could reveal new insights into the treatment of cancer.