Peptide-functionalized thermo-sensitive hydrogels for sustained drug delivery

Macromol Biosci. 2009 Dec 8;9(12):1219-26. doi: 10.1002/mabi.200900298.

Abstract

In this study, a KRGDKK (Lys-Arg-Gly-Asp-Lys-Lys) peptide with a RGD sequence is utilized as a functional group to synthesize a novel thermo-sensitive hydrogel. The KRGDKK peptide prepared by a solid phase synthesis approach is coupled to the ends of a poly[(epsilon-caprolactone)-co-lactide]-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly[(epsilon-caprolactone)-co-lactide] (PCLA-PEG-PCLA) triblock copolymer to obtain peptide-PCLA-PEG-PCLA-peptide. The self-assembly behavior of both PCLA-PEG-PCLA and peptide-PCLA-PEG-PCLA-peptide copolymers in aqueous solution is investigated, and hydrogels prepared from PCLA-PEG-PCLA and peptide-PCLA-PEG-PCLA-peptide are also prepared. An in vitro cell viability study demonstrated that the peptide-PCLA-PEG-PCLA-peptide hydrogels do not exhibit an apparent cytotoxicity, which suggests that the hydrogels have promising potential as injectable drug-delivery systems. Furthermore, compared with the PCLA-PEG-PCLA hydrogels, the peptide-PCLA-PEG-PCLA-peptide hydrogels display improved mechanical properties because of hydrogen bonding between the amino groups of KRGDKK. An in vitro drug release study showed that the peptide-PCLA-PEG-PCLA-peptide hydrogels exhibit outstanding controlled release properties and the release of the drug could be sustained for more than a month without initial burst.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Drug Carriers*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Hydrogels*
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Micelles
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Particle Size
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Polymers / chemistry*

Substances

  • Drug Carriers
  • Hydrogels
  • Micelles
  • Peptides
  • Polymers
  • Doxorubicin