title: Report on the use of poly(organophosphazenes) for the design of stimuli-responsive vesicles.
abstract: A novel family of amphiphilic temperature- and pH-sensitive poly(organophosphazenes) with varying ratios of ethylene oxide, alkyl chains and free acid units was synthesized by living cationic polymerization. Depending on their composition, these poly(organophosphazenes) exhibited lower critical solution temperatures ranging from 32 to 44 degrees C, which were pH-dependent for copolymers bearing carboxylic acid groups. The alkylated copolymers were then anchored into phospholipid bilayers to obtain stimuli-responsive liposomes that released their content upon a change in temperature or pH. Such polymer/vesicle complexes could find practical applications for site-specific and intracellular drug delivery.
authors.affiliation: Canada Research Chair in Drug Delivery, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128 Succ. Centre-ville, Montreal (Qc) Canada H3C 3J7.
authors.forename: Anne-Claude
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Couffin-Hoarau
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Leroux
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D002412:Cations; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005027:Ethylene Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002412:Cations; D004337:Drug Carriers; D008081:Liposomes; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D011108:Polymers; D005027:Ethylene Oxide