Near-Infrared Laser-Responsive Erythrocyte Membrane Camouflaged Nanoparticles for Chemo-Photodynamic Therapy of Breast Cancer

The effectiveness of chemotherapy as a primary approach in cancer treatment is under scrutiny due to the rise of multidrug resistance (MDR). Biomimetic technology presents numerous opportunities for the development of therapeutic platforms that exhibit enhanced performance in antitumor therapy and address the limitations of traditional chemotherapy. In this study, an erythrocyte membrane (EM)-camouflaged biomimetic nanodrug delivery platform, namely B-Lip@PTX/Cur/Ce6, capable of simultaneously delivering paclitaxel (PTX, a chemotherapeutic agent), curcumin (Cur, a P-gp inhibitor), and chlorin e6 (Ce6, a photosensitizer), was introduced for synergistic chemo-photodynamic therapy. With near-infrared laser irradiation, B-Lip@PTX/Cur/Ce6 has been found to induce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby triggering both photodynamic therapy (PDT) and hybrid cell membrane disruption for controlled release of PTX/Cur. Furthermore, in vitro cytotoxicity has demonstrated the ability of Cur in B-Lip@PTX/Cur/Ce6 to reverse MDR by enhancing the inhibitory impact of PTX on MCF-7/ADR cells. By employing the EM coating strategy, B-Lip@PTX/Cur/Ce6 could demonstrate favorable biocompatibility, while also exhibiting prolonged circulation time in the bloodstream, which would be beneficial to long-term accumulation at the tumor sites. Notably, the innovative biomimetic platform demonstrates successful inhibition of MDR and exhibits efficacy in combating tumors through enhanced chemo-photodynamic therapy. The integration of the versatile nanoscopic drug delivery system results in an augmentation of the therapeutic activity against cancer and holds promising potential for treating breast cancer effectively.