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Visible Light-Triggered Precision SO2 Release from Polymeric Nanomedicine for Cancer Therapy
Anushree Mondal1, Swastika Dey2, Soumya Paul1
1Polymer Research Centre and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, 741246, India.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|April 7, 2025
Summary
New light-responsive polymers release sulfur dioxide (SO2) for cancer therapy. This approach offers controlled drug delivery, overcoming limitations of internal triggers for enhanced treatment effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Polymer Chemistry
- Nanomedicine
Background:
- Polymeric sulfur dioxide (SO2)-releasing nanomedicines show promise for cancer treatment via controlled SO2 release triggered by endogenous stimuli.
- Heterogeneous distribution of endogenous stimuli poses a challenge for clinical translation of these nanomedicines.
- Exogenous trigger-responsive SO2 donors present a promising strategy for therapeutic advancement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate amphiphilic block copolymers (BCPx) that generate SO2 in response to visible light (427 nm) for cancer therapy.
- To investigate the SO2 release kinetics, nanostructure formation, and self-reporting capabilities of these polymers.
- To assess the in vitro anticancer efficacy and mechanism of action of the developed nanostructures.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of coumarin-based amphiphilic block copolymers (BCPx).
- Formation of well-defined nanostructures (BCPxNs) in aqueous media.
- Evaluation of SO2 release under visible light irradiation (427 nm).
- In vitro antiproliferative assays using HeLa cells.
- Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry for cell death analysis.
Main Results:
- BCPxNs demonstrated controlled SO2 release, with 70-85% of theoretical SO2 released within 4 hours.
- BCPxNs exhibited self-reporting behavior upon SO2 release.
- Visible light irradiation significantly enhanced the antiproliferative effect of BCP2Ns on HeLa cells (IC50 = 0.3 mg mL-1).
- SO2-induced cell death was confirmed through cellular assays.
Conclusions:
- Visible light-responsive polymeric SO2 donors offer spatiotemporal control for cancer therapy.
- This strategy overcomes the limitations of endogenous stimuli-responsive nanomedicines.
- The developed BCPxNs show potential as a novel platform for light-activated cancer treatment.
