Synthesis, characterization and in vitro/in vivo evaluation of novel reduction-sensitive hybrid nano-echinus-like nanomedicine

Figures & data

Figure 1. Polymerization scheme of GA-HA-SS-Cur.

Figure 2. Schematic structure of GA-HA-SS-Cur and mPEG-DSPE self-assembly into nano-echinus and the drug released from nano-echinus under reduction- environment of tumour cells.

Figure 3. The ¹H-NMR spectra of GA-HA-SS-Cur.

Figure 4. (A) The nano-echinus with PBS; (B) The size distribution of the nano-echinus; (C) The Zeta Potential of the nano-echinus; (D) The TEM images of nano-echinus.

Table 1. Characterization of the nano-echinus and its drug loading capacity.

Formulation	Size (nm)	PDI	ζ Zeta (mV)	EE%	DL%
Blank nano-echinus	92.2 ± 0.3	0.19 ± 0.01	–16.2 ± 0.4	54.11 ± 2.1	8.12 ± 1.3
Nano-echinus	118.1 ± 0.2	0.17 ± 0.02	–21.56 ± 1.3	51.26 ± 4.2	8.03 ± 2.1

Data are presented as mean ± SD, n = 3.

Figure 5. (A) In vitro release profiles of Cur from the nano-echinus in medium containing 0, 2 mM, 10 mM of GSH. (B) In vitro cytotoxicity of mPEG-DSPE, GA-HA, Free Cur, the nano-echinus. (C) 2D- and 2.5D-reconstructed FM images of cellular uptake. (D) Internalization imaging of nano-echinus in cancer cells after 3 h incubation. Hoechst 33342 was used to stain the cell nucleus which showed blue fluorescence.

Figure 6. (A) Photographs of tumours. (B) The growth of tumours (*p < .05 vs. saline group). (C) Tumour weight (*p < .05 vs. saline group). (D) Body weights in different groups after treatments.