title: A poly(ether-ester) copolymer for the preparation of nanocarriers with improved degradation and drug delivery kinetics.
abstract: This paper reports the synthesis and the physicochemical, functional and biological characterisations of nanocarriers made of a novel di-block biodegradable poly(ether-ester) copolymer. This material presents tunable, fast biodegradation rates, but its products are less acidic than those of other biosorbable polymers like PLGA, thus presenting a better biocompatibility profile and the possibility to carry pH-sensitive payloads. A method for the production of monodisperse and spherical nanoparticles is proposed; drug delivery kinetics and blood protein adsorption were measured to evaluate the functional properties of these nanoparticles as drug carriers. The copolymer was labelled with a fluorescent dye for internalisation tests, and rhodamine B was used as a model cargo to study transport and release inside cultured cells. Biological tests demonstrated good cytocompatibility, significant cell internalisation and the possibility to vehiculate non-cell penetrating moieties into endothelial cells. Taken together, these results support the potential use of this nanoparticulate system for systemic administration of drugs.
authors.affiliation: Center for Micro Bio-Robotics @SSSA, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera, Italy. Electronic address: mariacristina.gagliardi@iit.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gagliardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Unit of Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Pisa, S.S.12 Abetone e Brennero 4, 56127 Pisa, Italy; Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @UNITN, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Bettini 31, 38068 Rovereto, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertero
authors.affiliation: Center for Bio-Molecular Nanotechnologies @UniLe, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Barsanti, 73010 Arnesano, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bardi
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @UNITN, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Bettini 31, 38068 Rovereto, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bifone
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D004337:Drug Carriers; D012235:Rhodamines; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; C029773:rhodamine B
keywords: Biocompatibility; Biodegradable nanoparticles; Biodegradation; Drug delivery; Metoxy polyethyleneglycol-block-poly(ε-caprolactone-co-4-hydroxyvalerolactone)