Disulfide-Functionalized Silica Matrix for Drug Delivery and Biosensing Applications

• Main Authors: Huang, Xin-Chun, 黃新淳
• Other Authors: Hsu, Hsin-Yun
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/52893962775197402309

博士 === 國立交通大學 === 應用化學系碩博士班 === 105 === Silica nanomaterial has been well developed and employed as promising drug delivery vehicles in the past decade. However, limited studies were dedicated to create a functional silica scaffold by changing the Si-O-Si frameworks. Herein, we demonstrated a novel redox-responsive silica scaffold, which could be disassembled upon stimuli of reducing agents. This novel strategy facilitated the biodegradability of the drug delivery nanocarrier and concurrently released the drugs in targeted cells. We also found the depletion of GSH by the disulfide-rich silica matrix enhanced the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin in drug-resistant cells (MES-SA/dx5). Moreover, we applied this system to intact plant cells (BY-2, tobacco cells) for redox potential sensing in specific cellular organelles. Our current results indicated that redox-responsive silica nanoparticles (ReSiN) were delivered via endocytosis pathway and merged with macroautophagic pathway before the fusion with central vacuole. By monitoring the fluorescence distribution in tobacco cells, the redox potential could be differentiated. Based on current success, unique types of silica matrix with specialized properties could be developed for diverse purposes via this strategy. Such functionalized silica scaffold exhibited the potential and new direction to future drug delivery and biosensing applications.