Core–Shell Nanoparticles with Sequential Drug Release Depleting Cholesterol for Reverse Tumor Multidrug Resistance

Multidrug resistance (MDR) facilitates tumor recurrence and metastasis, which has become a main cause of chemotherapy failure in clinical. However, the current therapeutic effects against MDR remain unsatisfactory, mainly hampered by the rigid structure of drug-resistant cell membranes and the uncontrolled drug release. In this study, based on a sequential drug release strategy, we engineered a core–shell nanoparticle (DOX-M@CaP@ATV@HA) depleting cholesterol for reverse tumor MDR. DOX-M@CaP@ATV@HA could accurately target tumor cells due to the active targetability of hyaluronic acid (HA) toward CD44 receptors. The calcium phosphate (CaP) shell was cleaved in the lysosomal acidic environment so that the cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin (ATV) was rapidly released to diminish cholesterol and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) level on the membrane, thereby boosting tumor cell drug uptake. Next, doxorubicin (DOX) was gradually released from the hydrophobic core of the mPEG-DSPE micelle, inflicting irreversible DNA damage and triggering apoptosis. The nanosystem was proven both in vitro and in vivo to reverse MDR effectively and exhibited a remarkable therapeutic efficacy on drug-resistant tumors with high biosafety. In conclusion, DOX-M@CaP@ATV@HA effectively reverses MDR via cholesterol depletion, which provides an innovative strategy for tumor MDR treatment.