Folic Acid-Modified Erythrocyte Membrane Loading Dual Drug for Targeted and Chemo-Photothermal Synergistic Cancer...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Cancer Therapy

Background:

• Traditional antitumor drugs face challenges with systemic toxicity and poor tumor selectivity.
• Drug resistance and metastasis in tumor recurrence necessitate advanced therapeutic strategies beyond single chemotherapy.
• Combining chemotherapy with thermotherapy offers a synergistic approach for enhanced cancer treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel nanocarrier system for simultaneous delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs and photothermal agents.
• To utilize erythrocyte membrane properties for long-term circulation, active tumor targeting, and triggered drug release.
• To evaluate the synergistic therapeutic effects of combined chemotherapy and photothermal therapy against cancer.

Main Methods:

• Construction of surface-modified erythrocyte membrane nanocarriers (DOX and ICG-PLGA@RBC nanoparticles, DIRNPs).
• Incorporation of doxorubicin (DOX) as a chemotherapeutic agent and indocyanine green (ICG) as a photothermal agent.
• In vitro and in vivo evaluation of DIRNPs' characteristics, drug release, cellular uptake, and antitumor efficacy.

Main Results:

• DIRNPs exhibited a nanoscale particle size (158.4 nm), negative surface charge (-5.79 mV), and stability over 30 days.
• ICG in DIRNPs demonstrated efficient photothermal conversion, increasing local temperature under NIR laser irradiation.
• In vitro studies showed pH-dependent and NIR-triggered DOX release, enhanced cellular uptake by HepG2 cells, significant tumor cell inhibition, and apoptosis induction.
• In vivo studies revealed prolonged DOX half-life (17.6 h), reduced cardiotoxicity, and superior antitumor efficacy against H22 tumors with good safety.

Conclusions:

• Erythrocyte membrane-based nanocarriers (DIRNPs) are effective for codelivering chemotherapeutics and photothermal agents.
• The developed nanocarrier system achieves long-term circulation, active tumor targeting, and triggered drug release.
• This biomimetic nanocarrier approach offers a promising strategy for synergistic cancer therapy with enhanced efficacy and safety.