The HA-incorporated nanostructure of a peptide-drug amphiphile for targeted anticancer drug delivery.

A simple peptide based prodrug of camptothecin (CPT) has been synthesised in which the CPT is conjugated to a tripeptide (KCK) via a disulfide linkage (KCK-CPT) and self-assembled into well-defined nanostructures in water depending on the concentration. The hyaluronic acid (HA) complex of KCK-CPT exhibited target specific toxicity with excellent antitumour efficiency.

Micellar and vesicular nanoassemblies of triazole-based amphiphilic probes triggered by mercury(II) ions in a 100% aqueous medium.

ABA-type amphiphiles bearing a triazole-based aromatic block were easily synthesized using click chemistry, which act as fluorescent turn-off Hg(2+)-chemoprobes in an aqueous solution. Interestingly, the metal-binding process of amphiphiles induced nanoassemblies even below the CMCs, and the binding stoichiometry affected the morphologies of the resultant nanostructures.