title: Small but powerful: co-assembly of polyether-based triblock terpolymers into sub-30 nm micelles and synergistic effects on cellular interactions.
abstract: We introduce a versatile ABC triblock terpoly- mer platform based on poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(allyl glycidyl ether)-block-poly(tert-butyl glycidyl ether) (PEO-b-PAGE-b-PtBGE) and subsequent functionalization of the PAGE segment with thiogalactose (hydroxyl), cysteamine (amino), and 2-mercaptopropionic acid (carboxy) by thiol-ene chemistry. These materials are used to prepare core-shell-corona micelles with a PtBGE core, a PAGE shell, and a PEO corona and sizes below 30 nm in aqueous media. We investigate the influence of different functional groups on micelle formation and cellular uptake. Moreover, co-assembly of differently functionalized materials allows to create micelles with a mixed shell and adjustable charge and, in that way, important characteristics such as cell uptake or cytotoxicity can be controlled. Furthermore, we demonstrate that even the uptake mechanism depends on the substitution pattern of the underlying triblock terpolymer.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena , Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Barthel
authors.forename: Alexandra C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Rinkenauer
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mansfeld
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hoeppener
authors.forename: Justyna A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Czaplewska
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gottschaldt
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Träger
authors.forename: Felix H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Schacher
authors.forename: Ulrich S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Schubert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D051379:Mice; D008823:Micelles; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D014867:Water; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C036354:tert-butyl glycidyl ether; C054361:allyl glycidyl ether; C023884:thiolactic acid