Real-time imaging tracking of a dual-fluorescent drug delivery system based on doxorubicin-loaded globin- polyethylenimine nanoparticles for visible tumor therapy

Elucidation of the pathway of drug delivery and carrier degradation in vivo is essential for the fabrication of a feasible drug delivery system. Multispectral fluorescence imaging can track a drug delivery system simultaneously based on the separation of fluorescence at multiple wavelengths without interference. In this study, the Doxorubicin loaded genipin-crosslinked globin and PEI nanoparticles (Gb-G-PEI/Dox NPs) were designed as a dual fluorescent drug delivery system to track the drug release and carrier degradation process. Both confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometric results showed that Gb-G-PEI/Dox NPs had a higher cellular uptake efficiency than Doxorubicin in the Bel-7402 cell line due to its small size and positively charged surface. The in vivo metabolism experiments tracked by the multispectral fluorescence imaging system elucidated the sustained drug release and carrier degradation process of the Gb-G-PEI/Dox NPs. Furthermore, the in vivo antitumor effects study by the bioluminescence imaging showed that Gb-G-PEI/Dox NPs reduced the tumor size most significantly on hepatoma-bearing nude mice. As a result, Gb-G-PEI/Dox NPs were demonstrated to be a highly efficient, feasible and visible drug delivery system for tumor therapy.