Finely Tuned Thermo-Responsive Block Copolymer Micelles for Photothermal Effect-Triggered Efficient Cellular Internalization.
Although biodegradable amphiphilic block copolymer micelles have been widely applied in the clinical applications as drug delivery nanocarriers, low-efficiency cellular internalization frequently reduces therapeutic efficacy of the loaded drugs. Here, photothermal effect-promoted cellular internalization of finely tuned thermo-responsive amphiphilic biodegradable block copolymer nanocarriers via noninvasive stimuli of near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation is demonstrated. Amphiphilic block copolymers, poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PCL-b-P(NIPAM-co-DMA)), are prepared with finely tuned compositions of P(NIPAM-co-DMA) for desirable lower critical solution temperature of the block copolymer micelles in aqueous solution. The block copolymers are then used to co-encapsulate doxorubicin and indocyanine green, which show high encapsulation efficiency and significant photothermal effect upon exposure to NIR light irradiation. The photothermal effect-induced collapse and hydrophilic-to-hydrophobic transition of P(NIPAM-co-DMA) shells significantly enhance the interactions between drug-loaded micelles and cell membranes, which dramatically promote the cellular internalization of the micelles and therapeutic efficacy of loaded anticancer drugs.
College of Resources and Environment, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, P. R. China.
Mingming
M
Huang
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
Hui
H
Li
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
Wendong
W
Ke
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
Junjie
J
Li
College of Resources and Environment, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, P. R. China. zca136@163.com.
Chengai
C
Zhao
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China. gezs@ustc.edu.cn.
Zhishen
Z
Ge
D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D011232:Chemical Precipitation; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004705:Endocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green / Q000494:pharmacology; D008823:Micelles; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D055620:Optical Phenomena; D058105:Polymerization; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013696:Temperature
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers; C403811:poly(IPAAm-co-DMAAm); D004317:Doxorubicin; D007208:Indocyanine Green
block copolymers; drug delivery systems; micelles; photothermal effect; stimuli-sensitive polymers