MoS2-LA-PEI nanocomposite carrier for real-time imaging of ATP metabolism in glioma stem cells co-cultured with endothelial cells on a microfluidic system

- This nanocarrier with high efficiency and low toxicity was used to image ATP in GSC.
- This method bearks up the correlation between low molecular weight and low efficacy.
- This biocompatible nanocarrier can allow for real-time and long-term monitoring.

Stimuli-responsive carriers have extensively attracted attention in recent years. However, long-term and real-time tracking ability with stimuli-responsive carrier is still in its infant stage due to the limitations such as, low efficacy, instability and cytotoxicity in a bio-environment. In this work, we developed a reduction-sensitive carrier composed of lipoic acid-modified low molecular weight polyethyleneimine (LA-PEI) and large surface ratio MoS2 nanosheet integrated via disulfide bond to mimic a high molecular weight PEI. The positively charged carriers loading negatively charged aptamer enter the cells for a real time long-term tracking of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) metabolism in glioma stem cells (GSCs) when stimulated by TGFβ factor secreted from HUVECs. We envision that MoS2-LA-PEI carrier has a promising potential for delivery and monitoring the changes in live cells with low cytotoxicity and high efficiency.