Smart co-delivery of Erlotinib and Camptothecin using silica-coated gold nanorods functionalized with recombinant anti-bone morphogenetic protein receptor type I (BMPR-AI)

Non-small cell lung carcinoma is a highly aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis. Although Erlotinib (ELT) and Camptothecin (CPT) are commonly used together in chemotherapy, their effectiveness is limited when given as free drugs. To improve their efficacy, we developed a novel nanomedicine consisting of gold nanorods (Au-NRs) coated with a functionalized silica network to deliver both drugs simultaneously. This approach aims to enhance cancer cell targeting, inhibit cell proliferation, and induce apoptosis. The nanomedicine was further engineered with a recombinant anti-BMP receptor AI (BMPR-AI) single-chain variable fragment (scFv) fused with maltose-binding protein for targeted delivery. Successful coating and functionalization were confirmed through various analyses, including HR-TEM, EDS/EDAX, zeta potential measurements, and FT-IR. The resulting CPT/ELT/scFv@Au-NR nanomedicine effectively targeted BMPR-AI-overexpressing cancer cells (A549) while showing minimal cytotoxicity toward normal lung fibroblasts (MRC-5), significantly inhibiting growth and inducing apoptosis more efficiently than the free drugs. This promising strategy demonstrates enhanced cytotoxic effects and holds potential for more effective chemotherapy and future advances in cancer treatment.