title: Development of l-Tyrosine-Based Enzyme-Responsive Amphiphilic Poly(ester-urethane) Nanocarriers for Multiple Drug Delivery to Cancer Cells.
abstract: New classes of enzymatic-biodegradable amphiphilic poly(ester-urethane)s were designed and developed from l-tyrosine amino acid resources and their self-assembled nanoparticles were employed as multiple drug delivery vehicles in cancer therapy. The amine and carboxylic acid functional groups in l-tyrosine were converted into dual functional ester-urethane monomers and they were subjected to solvent free melt polycondensation with hydrophilic polyethylene glycols to produce comb-type poly(ester-urethane)s. The phenolic unit in the l-tyrosine was anchored with hydrophobic alkyl side chain to bring appropriate amphiphilicity in the polymer geometry to self-assemble them as stable nanoscaffolds in aqueous medium. The topology of the polymer was found to play a major role on the glass transition, crystallinity, and viscoelastic rheological properties of l-tyrosine poly(ester-urethane)s. The amphiphilic polymers were self-assembled as 200 ± 10 nm nanoparticles and they exhibited excellent encapsulation capabilities for anticancer drugs such as doxorubicin (DOX) and camptothecin (CPT). In vitro drug release studies revealed that the drug-loaded l-tyrosine nanoparticles were stable at extracellular conditions and they underwent enzymatic-biodegradation exclusively at the intracellular level to release the drugs. Cytotoxicity studies in the cervical cancer (HeLa) and normal WT-MEFs cell lines revealed that the nascent l-tyrosine nanoparticles were nontoxic, whereas the CPT and DOX drug-loaded polymer nanoparticles exhibited excellent cell killing in cancer cells. Confocal microscopic imaging confirmed the cellular internalization of drug-loaded nanoparticles. The drugs were taken up by the cells much higher quantity while delivering them from l-tyrosine nanoparticle platform compared to their free state. Flow cytometry analysis showed that the DOX-loaded polymer nanoscaffolds internalized the drugs 8-10× higher compared to free DOX. Both the synthesis of new classes of poly(ester-urethane)s via melt polycondensation approach and the enzyme-responsive drug delivery concept were accomplished for the first time. Thus, the present investigation is expected to open up new opportunities for l-tyrosine polymeric materials in biomaterial and thermoplastic applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER)-Pune , Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Rajendra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aluri
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER)-Pune , Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Manickam
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6085-193X
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jayakannan
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D065546:Drug Liberation; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D011140:Polyurethanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004337:Drug Carriers; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D011140:Polyurethanes; C081821:microthane foam; D014443:Tyrosine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D002166:Camptothecin