Endogenous NO-release multi-responsive hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles for drug encapsulation and delivery

Novel multi-responsive drug delivery vehicles (CDs/PNVCL@HMSNs) were prepared by grafting amino-terminated poly (N-vinyl caprolactam) (PNVCL-NH₂) and amino-rich carbon dots (CDs) on the surface of aldehyde-functionalized HMSNs (HMSNs-CHO) via Schiff base reaction. The CDs were prepared from L-arginine and their surfaces were rich in guanidine. Doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded into the nanoparticles to form drug loaded vehicles (CDs/PNVCL@HMSNs-DOX) and the drug loading efficiency was 58.38%. The drug release behaviors of CDs/PNVCL@HMSNs-DOX showed temperature and pH responsiveness due to the poly (N-vinyl caprolactam) (PNVCL) and Schiff base bond. The high concentration of NO released in high concentration H₂O₂ of tumor site could induce tumor cells apoptosis. The multi-responsive CDs/PNVCL@HMSNs are intriguing drug carriers, which combine drug delivery and NO release in one.