A rapid drug release system with a NIR light-activated molecular switch for dual-modality photothermal/antibiotic treatments of subcutaneous abscesses

作者：Chiang Wei Lun; Lin Tzu Tsen; Sureshbabu Radhakrishnan; Chia Wei Tso; Hsiao Hsu Chan; Liu Hung Yi; Yang Chih Man; Sung Hsing Wen^*

来源：Journal of Controlled Release, 2015, 199: 53-62.

DOI：10.1016/j.jconrel.2014.12.011

• Photothermal response system
• In situ drug delivery
• Combination therapy
• Hyperthermia
• Antibiotic therapy

Eradicating subcutaneous bacterial infections remains a significant challenge. This work reports an injectable system of hollow microspheres (HMs) that can rapidly produce localized heat activated by near-infrared (NIR) light and control the release of an antibiotic via a "molecular switch" in their polymer shells, as a combination strategy for treating subcutaneous abscesses. The HMs have a shell of poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and an aqueous core that is comprised of vancomycin (Van) and polypyrrole nanoparticles (PPy NPs), which are photothermal agents. Experimental results demonstrate that the micro-HMs ensure efficiently the spatial stabilization of their encapsulated Van and PPy NPs at the injection site in mice with subcutaneous abscesses. Without NIR irradiation, the HMs elute a negligible drug concentration, but release substantially more when exposed to NIR light, suggesting that this system is suitable as a photothermally-responsive drug delivery system. The combination of photothermally-induced hyperthermia and antibiotic therapy with HMs increases cytotoxicity for bacteria in abscesses, to an extent that is greater than the sum of the two treatments alone, demonstrating a synergistic effect. This treatment platform may find other clinical applications, especially for localized hyperthermia-based cancer therapy.

• 出版日期2015-2-10
• 单位清华大学