New method sneaks drugs into cancer cells before triggering release

A liposome-based co-delivery system composed of a fusogenic liposome encapsulating ATP-responsive elements with chemotherapeutics and a liposome containing ATP was developed for ATP-mediated drug release triggered by liposomal fusion. The fusogenic liposome had a protein–DNA complex core containing an ATP-responsive DNA scaffold with doxorubicin (DOX) and could release DOX through a conformational change from the duplex to the aptamer/ATP complex in the presence of ATP. A cell-penetrating peptide-modified fusogenic liposomal membrane was coated on the core, which had an acid-triggered fusogenic potential with the ATP-loaded liposomes or endosomes/lysosomes. Directly delivering extrinsic liposomal ATP promoted the drug release from the fusogenic liposome in the acidic intracellular compartments upon a pH-sensitive membrane fusion and anticancer efficacy was enhanced both in vitro and in vivo.