title: Influence of co-monomer ratio on the chemical properties and cytotoxicity of poly[acrylonitrile-co-(N-vinylpyrrolidone)] nanoparticles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A system of nanoparticles with varying hydrophilicities may include promising biomaterial candidates as they offer various cellular uptake properties and a range of drug encapsulation efficacies, which would be advantageous in regenerative therapies. Therefore, a model system of nanoparticles with varying hydrophilicities was synthesized and assessed for its candidacy as a biomaterial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here, acrylonitrile (AN) was copolymerized with N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) in a mini-emulsion to form a family of nanoparticles, thereby enabling the systematic variation of the copolymer hydrophilicity. The nanoparticles based on these copolymers were prepared and characterized using 1H-NMR, dynamic light scattering, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermal gravimetric analysis. Finally, the cytotoxicity of the nanoparticles was assessed by conducting indirect tests using L929 fibroblasts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The nanoparticles showed well controlled NVP/AN molar ratios as determined by 1H NMR, well defined diameters ranging from approximately 100 nm to 200 nm, and increasing glass transition temperatures with increasing molar NVP content. Finally, L929 fibroblasts only slightly changed their morphology upon incubation with material eluates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Poly[acrylonitrile-co-(N-vinylpyrrolidone)] nanoparticles with varying amounts of NVP were shown to be a promising model system for further biological assessment.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biomaterial Development and Berlin-Brandenburg Centre for Regenerative Therapies, Institute of Polymer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Teltow, Germany.
authors.forename: Wenzhong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Benjamin Franklin
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Pierce
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Scharnagl
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wischke
authors.forename: Adam Lee
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sisson
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lendlein
mesh_terms: D000181:Acrylonitrile / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D010316:Particle Size; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004337:Drug Carriers; D011108:Polymers; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; C042670:N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone; D000181:Acrylonitrile