Co‐delivery CPT and PTX prodrug with a photo/thermo‐responsive nanoplatform for triple‐negative breast cancer therapy

Abstract Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) is still the most aggressive cancer in women. Combination chemotherapy holds great potential for cancer therapy; however, the off‐target and side effects of free chemotherapy administration remain a major challenge. In this study, we developed a photo/thermo‐responsive nanoplatform that can be used for TNBC treatment via photothermic therapy in combination with multidrug therapy. By conjugating the chemotherapy drug PTX prodrug on the surface of mesoporous silica‐coated gold nanorod nanoparticles and then loading another chemotherapy drug, CPT, the Au@MSN‐PTX@CPT nanoparticles exhibited great photothermal response, redox response drug release and cancer cell inhibition abilities. Otherwise, we further coated the Au@MSN‐PTX@CPT nanoparticle with a temperature‐sensitive polymer poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐co‐methacrylic acid) (p(NIPAM‐co‐MAAc)), and the polymer‐coated Au@MSN‐PTX@TPT@polymer nanoparticles showed perfect near‐infrared (NIR) light controlled drug release. Finally, the Au@MSN‐PTX@CPT@polymer nanoparticles were injected into the 4T1 breast cancer mouse model. The Au@MSN‐PTX@CPT@polymer nanoparticles preferably accumulated at the tumor site and had reduced chemotherapy injuries and great antitumor activity when combined with 650 nm laser treatment. In summary, our developed Au@MSN‐PTX@CPT@polymer nanoparticles served as a good method for controlled chemodrug delivery and provided a good choice for TNBC combination therapy.