title: Synthesis and characterization of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles with pH-triggered poly(ethylene glycol) shedding.
abstract: Novel lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles are designed with a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) coating that is shed in response to a low pH trigger. This allows the nanoparticles to be stable during systemic circulation and at neutral pH, but destabilize and fuse with lipid membranes in acidic environments. The hybrid nanoparticles consist of a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) core with a lipid and lipid-PEG monolayer shell. To make the hybrid nanoparticles pH sensitive, a lipid-(succinate)-mPEG conjugate is synthesized to provide a hydrolyzable PEG stealth layer that is shed off the particle surface at low pH. The pH-sensitivity of the nanoparticles is tunable using the molar concentration of the lipid-(succinate)-mPEG incorporated in the lipid shell of the particles. Possible uses of these pH-sensitive nanoparticles include aggregating in acidic tumor microenvironments, escaping acidified endosomes, or aggregating in deep lung tissue for improved inhalation administration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nanoengineering and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92130, USA.
authors.forename: Corbin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clawson
authors.forename: Linh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ton
authors.forename: Santosh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aryal
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Sadik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esener
authors.forename: Liangfang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D019802:Succinic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D019802:Succinic Acid