Supramolecular polymer nanocapsules by enzymatic covalent condensation: biocompatible and biodegradable drug-delivery systems for chemo-photothermal anticancer therapy†
Abstract
Herein a new strategy for the formation of nanocapsules by combining supramolecular chemistry and enzymatic catalysis was presented for the first time. By rational design, supramolecular polymerization and self-assembly were rapidly and effectively accomplished in a two-step procedure in which a tetra-functional ternary host–guest supramonomer was first formed and these supramonomers were subsequently coupled by enzymatic catalysis. After coencapsulating doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) and indocyanine green (ICG), the nanocapsules can deliver chemotherapeutic drugs and photothermal agents simultaneously. This work opened a new avenue to the enzyme-mediated synthesis of supramolecular polymers, based on which functional supramolecular nanocapsules were precisely built for chemo-photothermal anticancer therapy.