Smart "Thrombus": Self-Localizing UCST-Type Microcage

ACS Macro Lett. 2023 Mar 21;12(3):320-324. doi: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00731. Epub 2023 Feb 20.

Abstract

Embolization is often used to block blood supply for controlling the growth of fibroids and malignant tumors, but limited by embolic agents lacking spontaneous targeting and post-treatment removal. So we first adopted nonionic poly(acrylamide-co-acrylonitrile) with an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) to build up self-localizing microcages by inverse emulsification. The results showed that these UCST-type microcages behaved with the appropriate phase-transition threshold value around 40 °C, and spontaneously underwent an expansion-fusion-fission cycle under the stimulus of mild temperature hyperthermia. Given the simultaneous local release of cargoes, this simple but smart microcage is expected to act as a multifunctional embolic agent for tumorous starving therapy, tumor chemotherapy, and imaging.

MeSH terms

  • Hyperthermia, Induced*
  • Phase Transition
  • Polymers*
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Polymers