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

Novel multi-responsive drug delivery vehicles (CDs/ [email protected] ) were prepared by grafting amino-terminated poly (N-vinyl caprolactam) (PNVCL-NH 2 ) 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/ [email protected] ) and the drug loading efficiency was 58.38%. The drug release behaviors of CDs/ [email protected] 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 H 2 O 2 of tumor site could induce tumor cells apoptosis. The multi-responsive CDs/ [email protected] are intriguing drug carriers, which combine drug delivery and NO release in one.