Polymeric pH-Responsive\nMetal-Supramolecular Nanoparticles\nfor Synergistic Chemo-Photothermal Therapy

Abstract

Stimuli-responsive drug delivery carriers, particularly\nthose exhibiting\npH sensitivity, have attracted significant scholarly interest due\nto their promising potential in anticancer therapeutic applications.\nThis phenomenon can primarily be ascribed to the inherently acidic\nnature of tumor microenvironments. However, pH-responsive carriers\nfrequently require the incorporation of functional groups or materials\nsensitive to pH changes. Given the pH-sensitive characteristics of\nmetal coordination with natural small-molecule drugs, organometallic\nsupramolecules present a facile and effective strategy for integrating\npH-responsive behavior into these systems. Meanwhile, utilizing the\nnatural compound luteolin in conjunction with iron ions (Fe³⁺) through the advanced engineering technique of flash nanoprecipitation\n(FNP) results in the synthesis of stable, highly loaded nanoparticles\n(NPs) exhibiting a supramolecular photothermal effect. Our experimental\nfindings substantiate that the photothermal effect persists over time,\neven after the pH-responsive release phase has ended. Consequently,\nthese polymeric pH-responsive metallic supramolecular nanoparticles\nintegrate chemotherapy and photothermal therapy, creating a synergistic\napproach to cancer treatment. This bifunctional platform, which exhibits\nboth pH-responsive and photothermal properties, presents a highly\npromising avenue for biomedical applications, particularly in the\narea of tumor therapies. Its dual function offers a potentially efficacious\napproach to tumor treatment.