Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin 2228-5881 14 3 2024 10 10 Dual-stage Acting Dendrimeric Nanoparticle for Deepened Chemotherapeutic Drug Delivery to Tumor Cells 634 645 10.34172/apb.2024.054 EN Mohammad Shahpouri https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2272-9121 Mohammad Amin Adili-Aghdam Hossein Mahmudi Saeedeh Ghiasvand Hamed Dadashi Aysan Salemi Sajjad Alimohammadvand Leila Roshangar Abolfazl Barzegari Mehdi Jaymand Rana Jahanban-Esfahlan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5119-252X Journal Article 10.34172/apb.2024.054 2023 11 18 2024 06 26 Purpose: We report on the design of hypoxia-induced dual-stage acting dendrimeric nanoparticles (NPs) for selective delivery of two chemotherapeutic model drugs doxorubicin (DOX) and tirapazamin (TPZ) for deepened drug delivery into hypoxic tumors in vitro. Methods: PAMAM G5 dendrimers were crosslinked with a hypoxic azo linker, attached to a mPEG to form a detachable corona on the dendrimer surface (PAP NPs). NPs were characterized by Zeta sizer, transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) and drug release kinetics. The anti-cancer performance of PAPs was evaluated by numerous tests in 2D and 3D cultured MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Results: MTT assay showed a significant difference between PAP and PAMAMG5 in terms of biocompatibility, and the effect of PAP@DOX was significantly greater than free DOX in hypoxic conditions. The results of DAPI and Annexin V-FITC/PI cell staining also confirmed uniform drug penetration as validated by induction of 90% cell apoptosis in spheroids and a high level of PAP@DOX-induced ROS generation under hypoxia conditions. Mechanistically, PAP@DOX significantly reduced the expression of mTOR, and Notch1, while the expression of Bax and Caspase3 was considerably unregulated, compared to the controls. Importantly, hypoxia-responsive disintegration and hypoxia-induced activation of HAP drug were synergized to promote deep and homogenous HAP distribution in whole microtumor regions to efficiently eliminate residual tumor cells. Conclusion: Our results indicate the safety and high therapeutic potential of PAP system for targeted drug delivery of chemotherapeutics in particular HAPs which show maximum anti-cancer activity against hypoxic solid tumors.