Preparation and Evaluation of Reactive Oxygen Species/Glutathione Dual Responsive Paclitaxel Prodrug Nanoparticle

OBJECTIVE To design paclitaxel prodrug nanoparticles with dual reactive oxygen species/glutathione response (ProPTX-SS-NPs), providing new ideas and methods for the application of paclitaxel. METHODS The optimal preparation method and process of prodrug nanoparticles was investigated by using particle size and PDI as indicators; the morphology of prodrug nanoparticles was observed through electron microscopy and their particle size, potential, encapsulation efficiency, drug loading capacity, etc were investigated; the in vitro release characteristics of nanoparticles in reactive oxygen species and glutathione environments were investigated; the in vitro cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of prodrug nanoparticles were investigated through cell experiments. RESULTS The nano particle size prepared by the optimal process was (130.20±2.18)nm, with the PDI of 0.12±0.01, the Zeta potential of (-8.45±0.01)mV, the drug load of (10.27±1.36)%, and the encapsulation rate of (93.22±2.20)%. The prodrug nanoparticles showed reactive oxygen species and glutathione dual responsive release ability, and could significantly inhibit the proliferation of MCF-7, HepG2, and MDA-MB-231. Its inhibitory effect on MDA-MB-231 cells was the most significant. The IC₅₀ of prodrug nanoparticles on MDA-MB-231 cells was (0.71±0.11)μmol·L, while the IC₅₀of PTX was (22.38±3.27)μmol·L. CONCLUSION ProPTX-SS-NPs have excellent tumor microenvironment response performance and significant anti-tumor activity, which is a highly potential and promising anti-tumor nanosystem.