Biotin-guided anticancer drug delivery with acidity-triggered drug release

A novel biotin-guided anticancer drug delivery system, prodrug 9, consisting of biotin, nitrobenzene, and doxorubicin, with acid-triggered drug releasing capability was synthesized. Its cellular uptake and anticancer activity are selective to the HepG2 cell line over the WI-38 cell line, as revealed by fluorescence confocal microscopic experiments and MTT assay.