PEG modified trimethyl chitosan based nanoparticles for the codelivery of doxorubicin and iSur-pDNA

Abstract Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the commonly used chemotherapeutic agents, but its clinical use is restricted by systemic toxicity and tumor multidrug resistance. To overcome these barriers, PEG modified trimethyl chitosan based nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared for the coencapsulation and codelivery of DOX and survivin shRNA-expressing plasmid (iSur-pDNA). These NPs with particle sizes of 181.9 nm and zeta potentials of 20.2 mV exhibited a pH-sensitive release of DOX and a sustained release of iSur-pDNA, which exerted significantly enhanced in vivo antitumor efficacies compared with single administration with DOX or iSur-pDNA. The results indicated that combinational administration of chemotherapeutic drugs and genes based on NPs could be promising in cancer therapy.