Bioreducible and traceable Ru(III) prodrug-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles for sequentially targeted nonsmall cell lung cancer chemotherapy

Ruthenium-based agents are promising in cancer chemotherapy but lack specific targeting and controlled release properties. Herein, a new class of bioreducible mer-[Ru(III)Cl3(dmso)(L)] prodrugs with highly DNA binding affinity were designed and synthesized for nucleus-targeted chemotherapy and selective activation in response to the tumor microenvironment. In this regard, ruthenium(III) prodrugs were reduced into highly active ruthenium(II)...