Polydopamine-based surface modification of mesoporous silica nanoparticles as pH-sensitive drug delivery vehicles for cancer therapy.

A novel pH-sensitive drug delivery system of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) which were modified by polydopamine (PDA) for controlled release of cationic amphiphilic drug desipramine (DES) was prepared. MSNs-DES-PDA were characterized in terms of size, size distribution, surface morphology, BET surface area, mesoporous size and pore volume, drug loading content and in vitro drug release profile. MSNs-DES-PDA had high drug loading content and pH sensitivity. The DES release profiles of MSNs-DES and MSNs-DES-PDA were totally different, and the drug release of MSNs-DES-PDA accelerated with increasing acidity. MSNs-DES-PDA can be internalized into cells. In vitro experiments demonstrated that MSNs-DES-PDA had higher cytotoxicity and inhibitory effects on acid sphingomyelinase than those of free DES. This drug delivery system was beneficial for controlled release and cancer therapy.