Controllable Construction of Biocompatible Supramolecular Micelles and Vesicles by Water-Soluble Phosphate Pillar[5,6]arenes for Selective Anti-Cancer Drug Delivery

The controllable construction of biocompatible supramolecular nanocarriers with different morphologies based on dynamic noncovalent interactions to achieve selective delivery of drugs with different properties remains highly challenging. We herein report controllable construction of two types of supramolecular nanocarriers based on biocompatible water-soluble phosphate-based pillar[5]arene (WP5P) or pillar[6]arene (WP6P) with pyridinium bromide guest G for the selective anticancer drug delivery. Solid supramolecular micelles could be obtained by the amphiphilic host–guest inclusion complex formed from WP5P and G, whereas hollow supramolecular vesicles were acquired from WP6P and G. Both of them showed pH- and Zn2+-responsiveness. Furthermore, the resulting solid micelles were able to encapsulate hydrophobic anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) to achieve DOX-loaded micelles, while hydrophilic anticancer drug mitoxantrone (MTZ) could be successfully loaded into the hollow vesicles. Additionally, the encapsula...