title: In Vitro Drug and Gene Delivery Using Random Cationic Copolymers Forming Stable and pH-Sensitive Polymersomes.
abstract: Stimuli-sensitive polymeric vesicles or polymersomes as self-assembled colloidal nanocarriers have received paramount importance for their integral role as delivery system for therapeutics and biotherapeutics. This work describes spontaneous polymersome formation at pH 7, as evidenced by surface tension, steady state fluorescence, dynamic light scattering, and microscopic studies, by three hydrophilic random cationic copolymers synthesized using N,N-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEM) and methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) monomethacrylate in different mole ratios. The results suggest that methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) chains constitute the bilayer membrane of the polymersomes and DMAEM projects toward water constituting the positively charged surface. The polymersomes have been observed to release their encapsulated guest at acidic pH as a result of transformation into polymeric micelles. All these highly biocompatible cationic polymers show successful gene transfection ability as nonviral vector on human cell line with different potential. Thus these polymers prove their utility as a potential delivery system for hydrophilic model drug as well as genetic material.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721 302, India.
authors.forename: Partha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Laskar
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721 302, India.
authors.forename: Joykrishna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dey
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721 302, India.
authors.forename: Payel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Banik
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721 302, India.
authors.forename: Mahitosh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721 302, India.
authors.forename: Sudip Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ghosh
mesh_terms: D002412:Cations; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D065546:Drug Liberation; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008422:Materials Testing; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010316:Particle Size; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013500:Surface Tension; D013696:Temperature; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D011108:Polymers; D012709:Serum Albumin; D004247:DNA
keywords: biocompatibility; cationic polymersomes; gene transfection; pH-sensitive drug delivery; random copolymers