Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles as Reservoirs for Supramolecular Nanovalves for Targeted Cancer Therapy

Malignant neoplasms remain a major public health challenge, highlighting the need for more selective and efficient drug delivery systems. In this work, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were synthesized and functionalized with aminopropyl groups and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) to obtain a precursor platform for supramolecular nanovalves aimed at targeted cancer therapy. The materials were prepared by a modified Stöber method and characterized by FTIR, TGA, UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and zeta potential measurements. The results confirmed surfactant removal, successful FITC incorporation, preservation of the ordered mesoporous structure, and positive surface charge under physiological and tumor-relevant conditions. These characteristics demonstrate the potential of the functionalized MSNs as inorganic reservoirs for electrostatically assembled supramolecular nanovalves, supporting their future application in stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems for cancer treatment.