title: Sustained delivery of paclitaxel using thermogelling poly(PEG/PPG/PCL urethane)s for enhanced toxicity against cancer cells.
abstract: A multiblock poly(ether ester urethane)s comprising poly(ε-caprolactone), poly(ethylene glycol), and poly(propylene glycol) segments was synthesized. The aqueous copolymer solution exhibited thermogelling behavior at a critical gelation concentration of 3 wt %. The chemical structure and molecular characteristic of the copolymers were studied by gel permeation chromatography, NMR, and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Rheological characterizations on the thermogel were carried out. Drug release studies using paclitaxel showed that sustained drug release of more than 2 weeks can be achieved with this system. The paclitaxel-loaded gels showed efficiency in the control of the growth of HeLa cells when compared with the paclitaxel dissolved in solution or paclitaxel encapsulated in Pluronics F127. The results demonstrated that the copolymers could be potentially used in chemotherapeutic applications.
authors.affiliation: Melville Laboratory for Polymer Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. XianJun_Loh@scholars.a-star.edu.sg
authors.forename: Xian Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.forename: Benjamin Jia Han
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.forename: Fu Siong
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Chia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005782:Gels; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D044367:Phase Transition / Q000187:drug effects; D011091:Polyesters / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D019946:Propylene Glycol / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D012212:Rheology / Q000187:drug effects; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013696:Temperature; D014520:Urethane / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005782:Gels; D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; D014520:Urethane; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D019946:Propylene Glycol; D017239:Paclitaxel