title: New design of thiol-responsive degradable polylactide-based block copolymer micelles.
abstract: A new design to synthesize thiol-responsive degradable polylactide (PLA)-based micelles having a disulfide linkage in the middle of triblock copolymers is reported. They were synthesized by a new method that centers on the use of a disulfide-labeled diol as an initiator for ring-opening polymerization, followed by controlled radical polymerization. These well-controlled copolymers with monomodal and narrow molecular weight distribution (M(w) /M(n)  < 1.15) self-assembled to form aqueous micellar aggregates with disulfide-containing PLA cores, which is not toxic to cells. Central disulfide linkages were cleaved in response to thiols; such thiol-triggered degradation enhanced the release of encapsulated anticancer drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Centre for Nanoscience Research (CENR), Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Jung Kwon
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008823:Micelles; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004337:Drug Carriers; D008823:Micelles; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; C033616:poly(lactide)