LRP1-mediated pH-sensitive polymersomes facilitate combination therapy of glioblastoma in vitro and in vivo

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most invasive primary intracranial tumor, and its effective treatment is one of the most daunting challenges in oncology. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is the main obstacle that prevents the delivery of potentially active therapeutic compounds. In this study, a new type of pH-sensitive polymersomes has been designed for glioblastoma therapy to achieve a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy for U87-MG human glioblastoma xenografts in nude mice and significantly increased survival time. RESULTS: The Au-DOX@PO-ANG has a good ability to cross the blood–brain barrier and target tumors. This delivery system has pH-sensitivity and the ability to respond to the tumor microenvironment. Gold nanoparticles and doxorubicin are designed as a complex drug. This type of complex drug improve the radiotherapy (RT) effect of glioblastoma. The mice treated with Au-DOX@PO-ANG NPs have a significant reduction in tumor volume. CONCLUSION: In summary, a new pH-sensitive drug delivery system was fabricated for the treatment of glioblastoma. The new BBB-traversing drug delivery system potentially represents a novel approach to improve the effects of the treatment of intracranial tumors and provides hope for glioblastoma treatment. [Image: see text]