The rigidity of polymeric micelles plays an important role in their biological behaviors. However, how drug loading affects the rigidity of polymeric micelles remains elusive. Herein, the indomethacin (IMC)-loaded Pluronic F127 micelle is used as a model system to illustrate the impact of drug loading on the rigidity and biological behaviors of polymeric micelles. Against expectations, micelles with moderate drug loading show higher cellular uptake and more severe cytotoxicity as compared to both high and low drug loading counterparts. Extensive one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements are employed to reveal that the higher drug loading induces stronger interaction between IMC and hydrophilic block to boost the micellar rigidity; consequently, the moderate drug loading imparts micelles with appropriate rigidity for satisfactory cellular uptake and cytotoxicity. In summary, NMR spectroscopy is an important tool to gain insight into drug loading regulated micellar rigidity, which is helpful to understand their biological behaviors.
Keywords: NMR spectroscopy; drug loading; micelles; polymers; rigidity.