pH- and redox-responsive nanoparticles composed of charge-reversible pullulan-based shells and disulfide-containing poly(ß-amino ester) cores for co-delivery of a gene and chemotherapeutic agent

Nanotechnology. 2018 Aug 10;29(32):325101. doi: 10.1088/1361-6528/aac4b5. Epub 2018 May 15.

Abstract

A novel pH- and redox-responsive nanoparticle system was designed based on a charge-reversible pullulan derivative (CAPL) and disulfide-containing poly(β-amino ester) (ssPBAE) for the co-delivery of a gene and chemotherapeutic agent targeting hepatoma. The end-alkene groups of ssPBAE were reacted with diethylenetriamine to form amino-modified ssPBAE (NH-ssPBAE). Methotrexate (MTX), a chemotherapy agent, was then conjugated to NH-ssPBAE via an amide bond to obtain the polymeric prodrug ssPBAE-MTX. ssPBAE-MTX exhibited a good capability for condensing genes, including plasmid DNA (pDNA) and tetramethyl rhodamine-labeled DNA (TAMRA-DNA), and almost completely condensed pDNA at the weight ratio of 5/1 to form spherical nanocomplexes with a uniform size. In a D,L-dithiothreitol solution, the ssPBAE-MTX/pDNA nanocomplexes showed rapid release of pDNA and MTX, indicating their redox-responsive capability. CAPL, a pullulan derivative containing β-carboxylic amide bond, was efficiently coated on the surfaces of ssPBAE-MTX/pDNA nanocomplexes to form polysaccharide shells, thus realizing co-loading of the gene and chemotherapeutic agent. CAPL/ssPBAE-MTX/pDNA nanoparticles displayed an obvious pH-responsive charge reversal ability due to the rupture of the β-carboxylic amide bond under the weakly acidic condition. In human hepatoma HepG2 cells, CAPL/ssPBAE-MTX/TAMRA-DNA nanoparticles were efficiently internalized via endocytosis and successfully escaped from the endo/lysosomes into the cytoplasm, and CAPL/ssPBAE-MTX/pDNA nanoparticles remarkably inhibited the cell growth. In summary, this nanoparticle system based on CAPL and ssPBAE showed great potential for combined gene/chemotherapy on hepatomas.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Death / drug effects
  • DNA / metabolism
  • Disulfides / chemistry*
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Endocytosis / drug effects
  • Gene Transfer Techniques*
  • Glucans / chemistry*
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Methotrexate / pharmacology
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Nanoparticles / ultrastructure
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • Polymers / chemical synthesis
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Substances

  • Disulfides
  • Glucans
  • Polymers
  • poly(beta-amino ester)
  • pullulan
  • DNA
  • Methotrexate