Dual Biochemically Breakable Drug Carriers from Programmed Telechelic Homopolymers

Biomacromolecules. 2020 Oct 12;21(10):4313-4325. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c01113. Epub 2020 Sep 23.

Abstract

Well-defined hydrophilic telechelic dibromo poly(triethylene glycol monomethyl ether acrylate)s were prepared by single-electron transfer living radical polymerization employing a hydrophobic difunctional initiator containing acetal and disulfide linkages. Although the resulting homopolymers have low hydrophobic contents (<8.5 wt % of the entire structure), they are able to self-assemble in water into nanoscale micellelike particles via chain folding. Acetal and disulfide linkages were demonstrated to be "keystone" units for their dual stimuli-responsive behavior under biochemically relevant conditions. Their site-selective middle-chain cleavage under both acidic pH and reductive conditions splits the homopolymer into two equal-sized fragments and results in the breakdown of the nanoassemblies. The drug loading/delivery potential of these nanoparticles was investigated using curcumine combining in vitro drug release, cytotoxicity, and cellular uptake studies with human cancer cell lines (HT-29 and HeLa). Importantly, this strategy may be extended to prepare innovative nanoplatforms based on hydrophilic homopolymers or random copolymers for intelligent drug delivery.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Drug Carriers*
  • Drug Liberation
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Micelles
  • Nanoparticles*
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Polymers

Substances

  • Drug Carriers
  • Micelles
  • Polymers
  • Polyethylene Glycols