Novel dual stimuli-responsive ABC triblock copolymer: RAFT synthesis, “schizophrenic” micellization, and its performance as an anticancer drug delivery nanosystem

• Published in: Journal of colloid and interface science 2017-02, Vol.488, p.282-293
• Main Authors: Davaran, Soodabeh, Ghamkhari, Aliyeh, Alizadeh, Effat, Massoumi, Bakhshali, Jaymand, Mehdi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acrylamides - chemistry; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic - chemistry; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic - pharmacology; Cell Survival - drug effects; Doxorubicin - chemistry; Doxorubicin - pharmacology; Drug Carriers - chemical synthesis; Drug Carriers - metabolism; Drug Compounding; Drug Liberation; Enhanced drug delivery; Female; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kinetics; MCF-7 Cells; Methacrylates - chemistry; Micelles; Molecular Weight; Polymerization; Polystyrenes - chemistry; RAFT polymerization; Schizophrenic; Self-assembly; Stimuli-responsive; Temperature; Triblock copolymer
• ISSN: 0021-9797; 1095-7103
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2016.11.002

A novel pH- and thermo-responsive ABC triblock copolymer was synthesized, and successfully applied for enhanced delivery of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) as an anticancer drug. [Display omitted] •A novel pH- and thermo-responsive ABC triblock copolymer was successfully synthesized.•The “schizophrenic” self-assembly behavior of copolymer was fully investigated.•The biocompatibility of the synthesized triblock copolymer was evaluated by MTT assay.•Apoptosis inducing properties of DOX-loaded copolymer was examined using DAPI staining assay.•This copolymer was successfully applied for enhanced delivery of DOX as an anticancer drug. A novel pH- and thermo-responsive ABC triblock copolymer {poly[(2-succinyloxyethyl methacrylate)-b-(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-[(N-4-vinylbenzyl),N,N-diethylamine]]} [P(SEMA-b-NIPAAm-b-VEA)] was successfully synthesized via reversible addition of fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization technique. The molecular weights of PHEMA, PNIPAAm, and PVEA segments in the synthesized triblock copolymer were calculated to be 10,670, 6140, and 9060gmol−1, respectively, from proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. The “schizophrenic” self-assembly behavior of the synthesized P(SEMA-b-NIPAAm-b-VEA) triblock copolymer under pH and thermal stimulus were investigated by means of 1H NMR and ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopies as well as dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential (ξ) measurements. The doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX)-loading capacity, and stimuli-responsive drug release ability of the synthesized triblock copolymer were also investigated. The biocompatibility of the synthesized triblock copolymer was confirmed through the assessing survival rate of breast cancer cell line (MCF7) using MTT assay. In contrast, DOX-loaded triblock copolymer exhibited an efficient anticancer performance in comparison with free DOX verified by MTT and DAPI staining assays. As the results, we envision that the synthesized P(SEMA-b-NIPAAm-b-VEA) triblock copolymer can be applied as an enhanced anticancer drug delivery nanosystem, mainly due to its smart physicochemical and biocompatibility properties.