Remission of lymphoblastic leukaemia in an intravascular fluidic environment by pliable drug carrier with a sliding target ligand

A polyrotaxane-based nanoconstruct with pliable structure carrying a chemotherapeutic drug was developed for targeting circulating lymphoblastic leukaemia cells in a fluidic environment of blood vessels in vivo. By introducing lymphoblast targeting aptamer DNA through cyclodextrin, threaded in poly(ethylene glycol) as polyrotaxane, target aptamer slides along the long polymeric chain and actively search for target ligand, leading to active targeting in dynamic fluidic system which is enhanced by up to 6–fold compared with that of control carriers with non–sliding targeting ligands. Moreover, the drug carrier was made stimuli-responsive by employing i-motif DNA to selective releases of its payload at intracellular acidic condition. These combined features resulted in the effective remission of lymphoblastic leukaemia both in vitro and in dynamic blood vessels in vivo.