Amphiphilic Block Copolymers Bearing Ortho Ester Side-Chains: pH-Dependent Hydrolysis and Self-Assembly in Water

✍ Scribed by Rupei Tang; Weihang Ji; Chun Wang

• Book ID: 102934346
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 677 KB
• Volume: 10
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1616-5187
• DOI: 10.1002/mabi.200900229

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

A new type of pH‐responsive block copolymer nanoparticle has been synthesized and characterized. The amphiphilic diblock copolymer, PEG‐b‐PMYM, contains acid‐labile ortho ester side‐chains in the hydrophobic block and can self‐assemble into micelle‐like nanoparticles in water at neutral pH. Hydrolysis of the ortho ester side‐chains follows a distinct exocyclic mechanism and shows pH‐dependent kinetics, which triggers changes in nanoparticle size and morphology. The nanoparticles have been found to be non‐toxic to cells in vitro. The ability to tune the size and morphology of biocompatible block copolymer nanoparticles by controlling the pH‐sensitive side‐chain hydrolysis represents a unique approach that may be exploited to improve the efficacy of nanometer‐scale drug delivery.

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