{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,24]],"date-time":"2026-07-24T15:03:47Z","timestamp":1784905427441,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"15","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]],"date-time":"2026-07-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784764800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nanomaterials"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Emodin (EO) is a naturally occurring anthraquinone with promising anticancer activity; however, its clinical application is limited by poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability. Herein, we demonstrate that surface engineering of fluorescent SBA-15 nanocarriers governs the intracellular fate of EO by modulating drug confinement, release behavior, intracellular trafficking, and apoptotic responses. SBA-15 was functionalized with aminopropyl groups and a fluorescent moiety to generate traceable nanocarriers with distinct drug\u2013carrier interactions. Physicochemical characterization (SAXS, BET, SEM\/TEM, TGA, UV\u2013Vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy) confirmed the preservation of the ordered mesoporous structure and efficient EO encapsulation (~35%). In PC3 prostate cancer cells, the functionalized system (SBA-15\u2013M|EO) exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity (IC50 = 18.2 \u00b5M) compared to free EO and the non-functionalized carrier. Time-lapse fluorescence microscopy demonstrated efficient cellular uptake, perinuclear accumulation, and sustained intracellular release, whereas flow cytometry revealed distinct apoptotic responses. SBA-15|EO promoted rapid intracellular EO accumulation and extensive late apoptosis, while SBA-15\u2013M|EO induced gradual intracellular accumulation accompanied by delayed but sustained apoptosis. Molecular docking further revealed favorable interactions of EO with the anti-apoptotic proteins BCL-2 and BCL-xL (\u0394Gbind \u2248 \u22126.5 kcal mol\u22121). These findings establish a direct relationship between nanocarrier surface chemistry, intracellular trafficking, and apoptotic fate, highlighting surface engineering as a strategy for controlling cellular responses beyond conventional drug delivery.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nano16150905","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]],"date-time":"2026-07-23T17:13:17Z","timestamp":1784826797000},"page":"905","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Surface-Directed Regulation of Intracellular Trafficking and Apoptotic Pathways by Fluorescent SBA-15 Nanocarriers Governs the Intracellular Fate of Emodin"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Paul","family":"J\u00e4nicke","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Weinberg 3, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paul","family":"Ebersbach","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Leibniz Institute for Analytical Sciences\u2014ISAS\u2014e.V., Otto-Hahn-Str. 6b, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1843-9890","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Neboj\u0161a \u0110.","family":"Panteli\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-0050-2660","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sanin","family":"\u010cengi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Merseburg, Eberhard-Leibnitz 2, D-06217 Merseburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Erik","family":"Freier","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Leibniz Institute for Analytical Sciences\u2014ISAS\u2014e.V., Otto-Hahn-Str. 6b, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany"},{"name":"Interdisciplinary Center for Machine Learning and Data Analytics (IZMD), University of Wuppertal, Rainer-Gruenter-Str. 21, D-42119 Wuppertal, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2060-8235","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ludger A.","family":"Wessjohann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Weinberg 3, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"\u017diko","family":"Milanovi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute for Information Technologies, University of Kragujevac, Liceja Kne\u017eevine Srbije 1A, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5168-1000","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Goran N.","family":"Kalu\u0111erovi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Merseburg, Eberhard-Leibnitz 2, D-06217 Merseburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3498","DOI":"10.7150\/ijbs.70447","article-title":"The versatile emodin: A natural easily acquired anthraquinone possesses promising anticancer properties against a variety of cancers","volume":"18","author":"Zhang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. 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