Doxorubicin (DOX) is widely used as a chemotherapeutic agent for both hematologic and solid
tumors and is a reasonable candidate for
glioma treatment. However, its effectiveness is hindered by significant toxicity and drug resistance. Moreover, the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) brings a crucial challenge to
glioma therapy. In response, a GSH-responsive and actively targeted nanoprodrug delivery system (cRGD/PSDOX-Cur@NPs) are developed. In this system, a
disulfide bond-bridged DOX
prodrug (
PEG-SS-DOX) is designed to release specifically in the high
glutathione (GSH)
tumor environment, markedly reducing the
cardiotoxicity associated with DOX. To further address DOX resistance,
curcumin, serving as a
P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitor, effectively increased cellular DOX concentration. Consequently, cRGD/PSDOX-Cur@NPs exhibited synergistic anti-
tumor effects in vitro. Furthermore, in vivo experiments validated the superior BBB penetration and brain-targeting abilities of cRGD/PSDOX-Cur@NPs, showcasing the remarkable potential for treating both subcutaneous and orthotopic
gliomas. This research underscores that this nanoprodrug delivery system presents a novel approach to inhibiting
glioma while addressing resistance and systemic toxicity.