Biocompatible and biodegradable poly(trimethylene carbonate)-b-poly(L-glutamic acid) polymersomes: size control and stability.
Poly(trimethylene carbonate)-b-poly(L-glutamic acid) (PTMC-b-PGA) diblock copolymers have been synthesized by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of gamma-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.
Université de Bordeaux, ENSCPB, 16 avenue Pey Berland, 33607 Pessac Cedex, France.
Charles
C
Sanson
Christophe
C
Schatz
Jean-François
JF
Le Meins
Annie
A
Brûlet
Alain
A
Soum
Sébastien
S
Lecommandoux
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D010316:Particle Size; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013499:Surface Properties
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; C498323:poly(trimethylene terephthalate); D011099:Polyglutamic Acid