Research Article

AS1411-conjugated doxorubicin-loaded silver nanotriangles for targeted chemo–photothermal therapy of breast cancer

https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3698-1819

School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China

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Yuyu Cao

School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China

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Xuechun Kan

School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China

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Dongdong Li

School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China

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Yan Li

School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China

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Cheng Huang

School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China

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Peidang Liu

*Author for correspondence: Tel.: +86 258 327 2554;

E-mail Address: seulpd@163.com

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9238-2082

School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China

Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biomaterials & Devices, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China

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Published Online:31 Aug 2023https://doi.org/10.2217/nnm-2023-0158

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Abstract

Background: Combination therapy has attracted tremendous interest for its great potential in treating cancers. Materials & methods: Based on chitosan-coated silver nanotriangles, polyethylene glycol, AS1411 aptamer and doxorubicin, a multifunctional nanocomposite (AS1411-DOX-AgNTs) was constructed and characterized. Then the photothermal properties, ability to target breast cancer cells and anti-breast cancer effect of AS1411-DOX-AgNTs were evaluated. Results: AS1411-DOX-AgNTs were successfully fabricated and showed excellent photothermal conversion efficiency, breast cancer cell and tumor targeting ability. Compared with single treatments, the combination of AS1411-DOX-AgNTs with near-infrared irradiation possessed the strongest anti-breast cancer effect in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion: AS1411-DOX-AgNTs hold great potential in targeted DOX delivery and combined chemo–photothermal therapy for breast cancer.

Plain language summary

This article focuses on nanomaterials, nanomedicine and photothermal therapy (PTT) to treat breast cancer. Nanomaterials refer to materials with at least one dimension in nanometer size (1–100 nm) or materials composed as basic units in a 3D space. Nanomedicine is the application of nanomaterials in medicine. Nanoparticles can deliver drugs to areas that are difficult for the drugs themselves to reach. PTT is a noninvasive tumor therapy that uses photothermal conversion agents to convert light energy into heat energy to kill tumor cells under the irradiation of external near-infrared (NIR) light. In recent years, combination therapy for cancers has drawn more and more attention. In the current study, we investigated the in vitro and in vivo anticancer effects of silver nanocomposites combined with chemotherapy and PTT. The prepared silver nanocomposites showed excellent physicochemical properties and possessed good anti-breast cancer efficacy combined with PTT and chemotherapy drug in vitro and in vivo. The results of this study demonstrated that these prepared silver nanocomposites had exceptional anti-breast cancer effects in combination with PTT and could be promising drug-loaded photothermal conversion agents.

Tweetable abstract

Targeted modified drug-loaded silver nanocomposites exhibit a significant anti-breast cancer effect combined with photothermal therapy.

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Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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Vol. 18, No. 17

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History

Received 2 June 2023

Accepted 4 August 2023

Published online 31 August 2023

Published in print July 2023

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Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.futuremedicine.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/nnm-2023-0158

Author contributions

Conceptualization of the study: F Li and P Liu. Acquisition of data: F Li, Y Cao, X Kan, D Li, Y Li and C Huang. Data analysis and interpretation: F Li, Y Cao, X Kan, D Li, Y Li and C Huang. Drafting and revision of manuscript: F Li and P Liu. Approval of final version: all authors.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This research was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81771980 and 81571805). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that all animal experiments were done in agreement according to the protocol sanctioned by the Animal Ethics Committee of Southeast University (Jiangsu, China) (Approval ID 20211025035).

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