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Host–guest systems based on pH-sensitive acyclic cucurbit[n]urils for controlled release of camptothecin

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Journal of Inclusion Phenomena and Macrocyclic Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems may provide an effective way to treat cancer as they can release cargoes regularly according to changes in the human microenvironment. In this work, we design and prepare acid-controlled release complexes of camptothecin with three pH-sensitive acyclic cucurbit[n]urils. The inclusion complexes have been characterized by 1H and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray powder diffraction, and phase solubility diagram. Cells incubated with complexes have been analyzed by high-content analysis, and cytotoxicity tests have been completed by MTT assay. The results showed that complexes with different binding constants can release the drug substance in the physiological pH environment of cancer cells, maintain good anticancer activity, and have low cytotoxicity. This provides a strategy about targeted and responsive systems of CPT for clinical application.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Yunnan Applied Basic Research Projects (Nos. 2018FA047 and 2018FB018), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC) (Nos. 21362016, 21642001, 21361014 and 21302074), which are gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, People’s Republic of China

    Jieling Lin, Xiali Liao, Chuanzhu Gao & Bo Yang

  2. Yunnan Perrrin Technology Co. Ltd., Kunming, 650201, People’s Republic of China

    Lei Yang

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  1. Jieling Lin
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Lin, J., Yang, L., Liao, X. et al. Host–guest systems based on pH-sensitive acyclic cucurbit[n]urils for controlled release of camptothecin. J Incl Phenom Macrocycl Chem 95, 159–168 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10847-019-00935-5

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