Construction of calcium carbonate-liposome dual-film coated mesoporous silica as a delayed drug release system for antitumor therapy

As is well known to all, delivering drug precisely to the tumor site is beneficial to improve the antitumor effect. In this study, we reported mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) coated with dual-film of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) and lipid bilayer (denoted as MSNs@CaCO₃@liposomes) innovatively which achieve sustained drug release effect anchored at tumor microenvironment and enhanced biocompatibility. The pH-sensitive CaCO₃ film acted as a guide to cap the pore channels of MSNs allowed pH-triggered drug release when transporting into cancer cells.

Highlights

pH-sensitivity of calcium carbonate and biocompatibility of liposome were combined in one drug delivery system

DOX/MSNs@CaCO₃@liposomes could decrease side effect

DOX/MSNs@CaCO3@liposomes exhibit delayed drug release effect in six days

Furthermore, the MSNs@CaCO₃ was capsuled by lipid bilayer to improve cellular uptake efficiency and biocompatibility in blood circulation. Morphology of nanoparticles was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) to confirm that double films were coated successfully. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) was efficaciously loaded into mesoporous pores as a model drug with a high drug loading content of 28%, forming DOX-loaded MSNs@CaCO₃@liposomes (DOX/MSNs@CaCO₃@liposomes).

Non-specific protein adsorption and homolysis test revealed enhanced biocompatibility. Drug release study in vitro showed DOX/MSNs@CaCO₃@liposomes could delay to release DOX at pH 5.0 and avoid releasing at pH 7.4. In vitro and in vivo antitumor efficiency evaluation showed that DOX/MSNs@CaCO₃@liposomes have a desirable inhibitory activity on tumor growth. Therefore, Dual-film coated MSNs could be a good candidate for an antitumor drug delivery system.

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Article information: Yuwen Wang, Kun Zhao, Luyao Xie, Kexin Li, Wei Zhang, Ziyue Xi, Xiyu Wang, Mingyu Xia, Lu Xu, Construction of calcium carbonate-liposome dual-film coated mesoporous silica as a delayed drug release system for antitumor therapy, Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.112357.