Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle-Based Double Drug Delivery System for Glucose-Responsive Controlled Release of Insulin and Cyclic AMP

A boronic acid-functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticle-based drug delivery system (BA-MSN) for glucose-responsive controlled release of both insulin and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) was synthesized. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled, gluconic acid-modified insulin (FITC-G-Ins) proteins were immobilized on the exterior surface of BA-MSN and also served as caps to encapsulate cAMP molecules inside the mesopores of BA-MSN. The release of both G-Ins and cAMP was triggered by the introduction of saccharides. The selectivity of FITC-G-Ins release toward a series of carbohydrate triggers was determined to be fructose > glucose > other saccharides. The unique feature of this double-release system is…