Controlled Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Delivery to Liver Cancer Cells by Gate-Capped Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of primary malignancy in liver and one of the most common types of cancer worldwide. Its readily increasing mortality rate highlights the urgent need for the development of efficient therapeutic strategies. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as sorafenib and sunitinib are used as efficient angiogenesis inhibitors for this purpose. However, despite their pharmacological effects, their transfer into clinical practice is characterized by their poor aqueous solubility and accumulation in off-target tissues, resulting in unfavorable side-effects. Here, we report a nanocomposite made of amine-functionalized mesoporous silica nanocomposites (MSNs) surface coated with cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs) for the controlled delivery and release of TKIs. Amine-functionalized MSNs were prepared using a sol-gel method and loaded with TKIs. To trap drug molecules into the mesoporous structure, CNPs were covalently conjugated to the surface of MSNs. The synthesis and fu...