Paclitaxel-Loaded PLGA/Au Nanocylinders for the Photothermal-Chemotherapy Treatment of Cancer

UV-nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) has been proved to be an efficient method for preparing nanodrug delivery systems. Herein, we used UV-NIL associated with the glancing angle deposition (GLAD) process of electron beam evaporation to prepare Au-coated PLGA nanocylinders loaded with PTX (PTX-PLGA-Au NCs) to enhance anticancer efficacy by the cooperative treatment of photothermal-chemotherapy. PTX-PLGA-Au NCs with different length-to-diameter ratios can be prepared by controlling the concentration of PLGA and regulating the angle of GLAD. Upon 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, PTX-PLGA-Au NCs exhibit a stable and repeatable photothermal effect. Besides, hyperthermia generated by the Au layer on the surface of PTX-PLGA-Au NCs under laser irradiation promoted the rapid release of PTX. The in vitro studies demonstrated that PTX-PLGA-Au NCs can achieve the synergistic effect of photothermal-chemotherapy, leading to increased cell cytotoxicity. Therefore, UV-NIL combined with the GLAD process produced a promising nanofabrication method for efficiently developing a multifunctional nanoplatform for cancer treatment.