Supramolecular peptide amphiphile based nanocarrier for pH-triggered Dox release, overcoming drug resistance

We conjugated a self-assembling peptide amphiphile (PA), Palm-CR3, with doxorubicin (Dox) via a hydrazone linker. The Dox loaded PA system (Palm-CR3-Dox) formed fibrous particles with a pH-triggered Dox release profile. Palm-CR3-Dox enhanced the cellular uptake of Dox and showed drug resistance reversal potential. Both the membrane disruptive activity of Palm-CR3 and the conjugation of Dox with PA were suggested to contribute to the drug resistance reversal effect. This work explored the potential of the self-assembling PA system as a versatile drug delivery platform for cancer treatment.