title: Preparation of polyion complex micelles from poly(ethylene glycol)-block-polyions.
abstract: Polyion complex micelles (PICMs) arise from the spontaneous self-assembly of ionic polymers of opposite charges to form a condensate that is dispersed in aqueous media by a hydrophilic segment, usually poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), present on at least one of the two ionic polymers. PICMs are used for many applications, especially drug delivery. This protocol paper describes the preparation by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of diblock copolymers of PEG bearing either positive or negative charges, both of which have been shown to form PICMs. Furthermore, methods of preparation and characterization of PICMs loaded with nucleic acid drugs are presented.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bayó-Puxan
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Dufresne
authors.forename: Arnaud E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Felber
authors.forename: Bastien
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Castagner
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Leroux
mesh_terms: D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007477:Ions / Q000737:chemistry; D008823:Micelles; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D058105:Polymerization
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D007477:Ions; D008823:Micelles; D009696:Nucleic Acids; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols