Synergistic chemotherapy/photothermal therapy for cancer treatment using a co-delivery system of cisplatin and novel conjugated polymers

Abstract

In tumor treatment, traditional single therapies such as chemotherapy or photothermal therapy often suppress tumor growth while also causing serious toxic side effects on normal tissues and organs. Additionally, reducing drug dosage is challenging to achieve the desired therapeutic effects. Therefore, combining chemotherapy and photothermal therapy has become an effective strategy to enhance tumor treatment efficiency. To achieve this, a biodegradable amphiphilic block copolymer with carboxyl-functionalized side chains, named mPEG-b-P(CL-co-MPC/TMA), was designed and synthesized. It was then complexed with cisplatin to successfully prepare mPEG-b-P(CL-co-MPC/TMA)-Pt. Subsequently, the novel conjugated polymer photothermal agent PDPPDTP was encapsulated to prepare PDPPDTP-loaded mPEG-b-P(CL-co-MPC/TMA)-Pt nanomicelles. These nanomicelles not only co-deliver cisplatin drugs and photothermal agents but also exhibit excellent stability and photothermal performance. Under lower doses of cisplatin drugs and photothermal effects, they can still efficiently eradicate tumor cells in a relatively gentle manner, demonstrating significant potential in synergistic cancer therapy.