Fluorescent boronate-based polymer nanoparticles with reactive oxygen species (ROS)-triggered cargo release for drug-delivery applications

Abstract

A new drug-delivery system of polymer nanoparticles (NPs) bearing pinacol-type boronic ester and alkyne moieties displaying triggered self-immolative polymer degradation in the presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with the capability of cellular imaging is presented. The NPs specifically release their drug cargo under concentrations of ROS that are commonly found in the intracellular environment of certain tumors and of inflamed tissues and exhibit significant cytotoxicity to cancer cells compared to their non-ROS-responsive counterparts.