title: Preparation, co-assembling and interfacial crosslinking of photocurable and folate-conjugated amphiphilic block copolymers for controlled and targeted drug delivery: smart armored nanocarriers.
abstract: Novel pH-sensitive, biodegradable and biocompatible copolymers based on polycaprolactone-poly(ethylene glycol) (PCL/PEG) were synthesized and further modified with folic acid and/or acryloyl chloride. The mixed polymeric micelles were formed by self-assembling of folated-copolymer and non-folated-copolymer with different compositions via nanoprecipitation method. The solubilization of quercetin as anti-cancer drug by the mixed micelle with the optimized composition (folated/non-folated 20/80) was more efficient than those made of each one alone. Nanogels with different crosslinking density were produced in the presence of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the crosslinker via a photochemical method. Interfacial crosslinking of acrylated groups were utilized to produce a core-shell spherical nanoparticle to evaluate their in-vitro drug release and degradation rate.
authors.affiliation: Polymer Laboratory, Chemistry Department, School of Science, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14155-6455, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: Khoee@khayam.ut.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Sepideh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khoee
authors.affiliation: Polymer Laboratory, Chemistry Department, School of Science, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14155-6455, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kavand
mesh_terms: D000179:Acrylates / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry*; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D005782:Gels; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008823:Micelles; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D015394:Molecular Structure; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010777:Photochemistry; D011091:Polyesters / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D000179:Acrylates; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005782:Gels; D008823:Micelles; D011091:Polyesters; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D005492:Folic Acid
keywords: Armored nano-vehicle; Folate-conjugated copolymer; Interfacial crosslinking; Mixed micelles; pH-responsiveness