Biocompatible and Biodegradable Poly(trimethylene carbonate)-b-Poly(l-glutamic acid) Polymersomes: Size Control and Stability

• Published in: Langmuir 2010-02, Vol.26 (4), p.2751-2760
• Main Authors: Sanson, Charles, Schatz, Christophe, Le Meins, Jean-François, Brûlet, Annie, Soum, Alain, Lecommandoux, Sébastien
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Biocompatible Materials - metabolism; Chemical Sciences; Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Materials: Nano-and Mesostructured Materials, Polymers, Gels, Liquid Crystals, Composites; Membranes; Particle Size; Polyethylene Terephthalates - chemistry; Polyethylene Terephthalates - metabolism; Polyglutamic Acid - chemistry; Polyglutamic Acid - metabolism; Polymers; Surface physical chemistry; Surface Properties
• ISSN: 0743-7463; 1520-5827
• DOI: 10.1021/la902786t

Poly(trimethylene carbonate)-b-poly(l-glutamic acid) (PTMC-b-PGA) diblock copolymers have been synthesized by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of γ-benzyl-l-glutamate N-carboxyanhydride (BLG) initiated by amino functionalized PTMC and subsequent hydrogenation. Self-assembly in water gave well-defined vesicles which have been studied combining light and neutron scattering techniques with electron microscopy imaging. The size and dispersity of vesicles have been tuned by varying preparation conditions, direct dissolution, or nanoprecipitation. In addition, PGA conformation could be reversibly manipulated as a function of environmental changes such as pH and ionic strength. Vesicles showed high tolerance and stability toward nonionic surfactant and pH due to a thick membrane and were revealed to be nonpermeable to water. Nevertheless, they can be rapidly degraded by enzymatic hydrolysis of the polycarbonate block. The ability to tune their size through the formation process, their stimuli responsiveness, their high stability, and their biodegradability make them suitable for biomedical applications.