P(OEGMA-co-LMA) hyperbranched amphiphilic copolymers as self-assembled nanocarriers

We report on the synthesis of novel amphiphilic hyperbranched copolymers, namely Hyperbranched-[poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate-co-lauryl methacrylate] (H-[P(OEGMA-co-LMA)]), obtained by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization utilizing the divinyl monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the branching agent. Molecular characterization by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) spectroscopy indicated the success of the polymerization. The self-assembly behavior in aqueous media was investigated by light scattering techniques and fluorescence spectroscopy. The hyperbranched copolymers form multimolecular aggregates of nanoscale dimensions with a low critical aggregation concentration. In addition, the model hydrophobic drug, curcumin (CUR), known also for its intrinsic fluorescence properties, was used in order to investigate the H-[P(OEGMA-co-LMA)] copolymers drug encapsulation ability. Curcumin is successfully loaded into the polymeric nanoparticles, as confirmed by dynamic light scattering and UV–Vis spectroscopy. Interestingly, curcumin hydrophobic interactions with the hyperbranched copolymers result in more well-defined co-assembled nanostructures, in terms of size and size distribution. The mixed copolymer-CUR nano-assemblies consist of small size nanoparticles (<100 nm) which exhibit relatively high size uniformity, colloidal stability and fluorescent properties. Overall, results signify that the biocompatible H-[P(OEGMA-co-LMA)] nanostructures could potentially serve as nanocarrier systems for drug delivery and bio-imaging applications.     

A tumor pH-responsive complex: carboxyl-modified hyperbranched polyether and cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II)

To realize the pH-targeting delivery of antitumor drug cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) (cisplatin, CDDP), a tumor pH-responsive polymer-platinum(II) complex (Suc-HPMHO-CDDP) from carboxyl-modified hyperbranched polyether (Suc-HPMHO) and cisplatin was designed and prepared. Because of the existence of hydrophobic core and ionization of surface carboxylic acid, Suc-HPMHO showed reversible pH-response in aqueous solution, and its responding pH value could be readily adjusted by only changing the degree of carboxylation of Suc-HPMHO. With plenty of terminal carboxyl groups, Suc-HPMHO could form the complex with CDDP by substituting the chloride ions with carboxyls. Methyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay showed that Suc-HPMHO had low cytotoxicity, while Suc-HPMHO-CDDP complex presented a similar antitumor effect with the free CDDP. Under the tumor acidic pH (pH(e)), Suc-HPMHO-CDDP complex deposited around/in cells because of its pH-response. Therefore, the pH-targeting of Suc-HPMHO-CDDP complex to tumor tissue could be realized. All of these results show that the tumor pH-responsive Suc-HPMHO-CDDP complex is a potential pH-targeting drug delivery system in cancer therapy.     

Dual thermal- and pH-responsive polypeptide-based hydrogels

Smart hydrogels have received increasing attention for their great potential for the applications in many fields. Herein, we report a facile approach to prepare a class of dual-responsive hydrogels assembled from synthetic statistical/block thermal-responsive copoly(L-glutamate)s copolymerized with poly(ethylene glycol), which were prepared by ring-opening polymerization(ROP) and post-modification strategy. The incorporation of oligo(ethylene glycol)(OEG) and glutamic acid residues offers the gels with thermal-and p H-responsive properties simultaneously. We have systematically studied the influence of both temperature and p H on the gelation behaviors of these copolymers. It is found that the increase of glutamic acid content and solution p H values can significantly suppress the gelation ability of the samples. Circular dichroism(CD) results show that the α-helix conformation appears to be the dominant secondary conformation. More interestingly, the gelation property of the block copolymer with statistical thermal-responsive copoly(L-glutamate)s shows greater dependence on p H as compared to that with block segments due to the distinct morphology of the self-assemblies. The obtained hydrogels exhibit p H-dependent and thermal-responsive gelation behaviors, which enable them as an ideal smart hydrogel system for biomedical applications.     

Multilayers and poly(allylamine hydrochloride)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) modified bovine serum albumin nanoparticles: Improved stability and pH-responsive drug delivery

To improve the colloidal stability of bovine serum albumin(BSA) nanoparticles(NPs) in diverse mediums, poly(allylamine hydrochloride)(PAH)/sodium poly(4-styrene sulfonate)(PSS) multilayers and poly(allylamine hydrochloride)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol)(PAH-g-PEG) coating were coated on the surface of BSA NPs.Stabilities of the BSA NPs in diverse mediums with different surfaces were detected by dynamic light scattering(DLS).Multilayers and PAH-g-PEG coated BSA NPs can be well dispersed in various mediums with a narrow polydispersity index(PDI).The BSA NPs with the highest surface density of PEG show the best stability.The multilayers and PAH-g-PEG coating do not deter the pH-dependent loading and release property of BSA NPs.At pH 9,the encapsulation efficiency of doxorubicin reaches almost 99%,and the release rate at pH 5.5 is significantly higher than that at pH 7.4.     

Preparation of pH-responsive phenolphthalein poly(ether sulfone) membrane by redox-graft pore-filling polymerization technique

In this communication, a simple method for the preparation of environmentally responsive membrane, in situ redox-graft pore filling polymerization, was reported. Phenolphthalein poly(ether sulfone) dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide was used to prepare porous membranes by means of classical phase inversion method. After that, methylacrylic acid was grafted successfully onto the membranes using the method reported here. Then, surface chemical changes and membrane morphology changes before and after graft polymerization were investigated by the ATR–FTIR and FESEM, respectively, to ascertain the formation and location of graft. Besides, the graft yield was also determined gravimetrically under different monomer concentrations. At last, in the hydraulic permeability experiments and diffusional permeability experiments using VB₁₂ and KCl as solutes, the grafted membranes prepared using the reported method exhibited marked, rapid and reversible pH-response.     

pH响应型纳米药物载体的释药机制及性能研究进展

pH响应型纳米载体因具有智能的酸敏或碱敏释药性能,已成为当前一类重要的多功能纳米载体,并得到了研究人员的广泛关注。特别是酸敏性纳米载体,可用于肿瘤弱酸微环境的药物控释,因而对药物的定点释放和癌症的靶向治疗等生物医学应用发挥了积极作用。本文综述了近年来各类pH响应型纳米载体的典型合成方法,系统地介绍了共价键、分子间作用力以及物理结构变化3种方式引发的pH响应释药机制。深入阐述了pH响应型纳米载体的载药性能、体外释药性能、体外细胞毒性、体内抗癌性能及体内分布性能,并详细列举了近年来pH响应型纳米载体的各类实验参数,进而为pH响应型纳米载体的深入研究提供了方法学的借鉴和性能参考。     

Effect of chemical composition on properties of pH-responsive poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) microgels prepared by inverse microemulsion polymerization

In this research, a series of pH-responsive microgels based on acrylamide (AM), acrylic acid (AA) as the main monomers, and N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide as a divinyl cross-linking agent, have been prepared by inverse microemulsion polymerization. The effect of chemical composition of poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (P(AM-co-AA)) on hydrodynamic diameters, morphology, swelling ratios and pH-responsive behaviour and thermal properties of microgels were discussed. With an increase of the mole percentages of AA in the feed ratio, the microgels have higher swelling ratios. The TEM photographs show that the spherical morphology of the microgels are regular relatively. Comparing with PAM microgels, number-average diameters of P(AM-co-AA) microgels were larger because of the presence of AA chain segment in the polymer chain. Turbidities of microgels determined through UV–vis spectrophotometer indicate that the microgels exhibit favourable pH-responsive behaviour, and responsive pH value is related to the dissociation constant of AA. Moreover, thermal stable properties of microgels were confirmed by differential scanning calorimeter. It was observed that an increase in the mole percentages of AA in the feed ratio provided lower glass transition temperature and thermal decomposition temperature of pH-responsive microgels.     

Design and preparation of pH-responsive curdlan hydrogels as a novel protein delivery vector

New pH-responsive saccharide hydrogels were designed and prepared using curdlan derivatives(curdlan-Bochistidine, CUR-HIS). The CUR-HIS hydrogels possessed highly porous structures. The swelling ratios of CUR-HIS hydrogels increased with the degree of substitution of Boc-histidine groups. And the addition of 0.5 mol/L Na Cl provoked a sharp reduction of swelling ratio of CUR-HIS hydrogels. Bovine serum albumin(BSA) can be efficiently encapsulated into CUR-HIS hydrogels. Moreover, the release profiles of BSA at different p H values from CUR-HIS hydrogels were significantly different. These hydrogels showed good biocompatibility in the cytotoxicity assays. The CUR-HIS hydrogels are of great potential in biomedical applications such as protein delivery systems.     

Biodegradable nanoparticles of partially methylated fungal poly(beta-L-malic acid) as a novel protein delivery carrier

The preparation of nanoparticles from 75% methylated poly(beta-L-malic acid) is described. Their degradation in aqueous environments was examined and the influence of pH and lipase on the rate of hydrolysis was evaluated. Six proteins were used to estimate the loading efficiency of the nanoparticles. The amount of protein retained in the nanoparticles was found to depend on the acid/basic character of the protein. Protein release from the loaded nanoparticles upon incubation in water under physiological conditions encompassed polymer hydrolysis and happened steadily within 3-10 d. The activity loss of entrapped alpha-chymotrypsin caused by loading and releasing depended on the method used for loading.     

Preparation and characterization of monolithic column by grafting pH-responsive polymer

A novel modified monolithic column with pH-responsive polymer chains was prepared by grafting methacrylic acid onto the poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) monolith. The grafting polymerization was achieved in an in situ manner which was performed by pumping methacrylic acid directly through an acidic hydrolysis monolithic column using potassium peroxydisulfate initiated free-radical polymerization. The grafted monolithic column was demonstrated to be the pH-responsive to the pore structure and the chromatographic characterization. The permeability of the column and the retention factors of five benzene homologues decreased due to the conformational changes of the polymer chains when the pH of mobile phase increased from 4.5 to 7.5. Furthermore, the modified monolithic column was used as the pH-responsive stationary phase and exhibited an excellent separation of four basic proteins.     

基于pH响应型微凝胶模板的二氧化锰空心球制备

以pH响应型微凝胶为模板制备出了二氧化锰空心球材料,并利用XRD、TGA、SEM、FT—IR和TEM等手段对其进行了表征．结果表明,通过调节KMn04的用量可以有效控制二氧化锰空心球的球壳厚度．对洗脱后上层清夜中的pH响应型微凝胶进一步研究发现,部分微凝胶呈现出非可逆的膨胀一收缩转变,这一现象主要是由于其内部的交联程度不高造成的．在对表征结果进行分析后提出了空心球结构的形成机理．     

Application of pH-responsive poly(2-dimethyl-aminoethylmethacrylate)-block-poly(acrylic acid) coatings for the open-tubular capillary electrochromatographic analysis of acidic and basic compounds

A new type of stimuli-responsive polymeric (SRP) coating has been prepared for use in open tubular capillary electrochromatography (OT-CEC), by grafting poly(2-dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate)-block-poly(acrylic acid) (PDMAEMA-b-PAA) as a Y-shaped block copolymer with two dissimilar chain compositions onto the inner walls of aminopropyl-modified silica capillaries. The grafting process introduced weakly charged functional groups from the PAA and PDMAEMA, enabling the generation of electroendosmotic flow with magnitude and direction adjustable by changing the pH of the running buffer electrolyte. This stimuli-responsive PDMAEMA-b-PAA block copolymer was found to provide excellent resolution of various acidic and basic compounds, leading to efficient analyte separation. When operated in the OT-CEC mode, separation selectivities could be readily manipulated via differential contributions from chromatographic and electrophoretic mechanisms, simply by changing the pH or the ionic strength of the running buffer electrolyte.     

How protonation modulates the interaction between proteins and pH-responsive hydrogel films

Hydrogels of pH-responsive polymers are promising candidates for the design of functional biomaterials. In this context, understanding the complexity of the interaction between these materials and proteins is essential. A recently developed molecular-level equilibrium theory for protein adsorption on hydrogels of cross-linked polyacid chains allows for modeling size, shape, charge distribution, protonation state and conformational degrees of freedom of all chemical species in the system; proteins are described using a coarse-grained model of their crystallographic structure. This review summarizes our recent studies, which have focused on understanding how the interaction between proteins and pH-responsive hydrogel films depends on the pH and salt concentration, both in single protein solutions and mixtures. In particular, we discuss the key role that protonation plays in mediating the polymer-protein electrostatic attractions that drive adsorption. Deprotonation of the polyacid network modifies the nano-environment inside the hydrogel; the local pH drops inside the film. In single protein solutions, protonation of amino acid residues in this lower-pH environment favors adsorption to the hydrogel. Upon adsorption, the net charge of the protein can be several units more positive than in the solution. The various amino acids protonate differently, in a non-trivial way, which gives flexibility to the protein to enhance its positive charge and favor adsorption under a wide range of conditions. In binary and ternary protein solutions, amino acid protonation is the decisive factor for selective adsorption under certain conditions. We show that the polymer network composition and the solution pH can be used to separate and localize proteins within nanometer-sized regions.     

pH-responsive protein microcapsules fabricated via glutaraldehyde mediated covalent layer-by-layer assembly

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) hollow microcapsules were fabricated through glutaraldehyde (GA) mediated covalent layer-by-layer assembly. The GA cross-linking of the adsorbed BSA on the colloidal particles enabled their surfaces to be covered by reactive aldehyde groups, which reacted with BSA molecules to result in another covalently linked layer. Repeating of this cycle could then yield particles coated with BSA multilayers. Hollow microcapsules well dispersed in water were obtained after core removal. The good integrity and morphology of the BSA capsules were confirmed and characterized by confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and scanning force microscopy. The obtained BSA microcapsules possess reversible pH response, i.e., the capsules are permeable to macromolecules below pH 4 or above pH 10, while impermeable in between. The mechanisms of permeability transition were discussed. Using this property, dextran, with a molecular weight of ~155 kDa, was successfully loaded.     

Remarkable pH-responsive Microfiltration Membrane from Well-defined PS-b-PDEAEMA Copolymers by ATRP Method

This work presented a detailed study on pH-responsive self-supporting microfiltration membranes via the non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) process from mixtures of THF and DMF. The well-defined pH-responsive polymers polystyrene-block-poly (N,N-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PDEAEMA) were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) evidenced by ¹H-NMR and GPC studies. Two amphiphilic diblock copolymers were used, St₇₁-b-DEAEMA₃₁ and St₇₁-b-DEAEMA₈₂. The influence of pH value in the coagulation bath, the solvent composition, the “open-time” before immersion into the coagulation bath and the polymer composition onto the membrane morphology were investigated, and flux values obtained for the different membrane systems were compared. The SEM images and polarized optical microscopy revealed that the size and the number of pores in the membranes were larger along with the decreasing THF content and “open time”. For the copolymer with the longer PDEAEMA block, St₇₁-b-DEAEMA₈₂, the flux values were lower than that of St₇₁-b-DEAEMA₃₁ under different “open time”, which meant that the total area of the pores in the membranes was smaller, respectively. The optimum preparation conditions for microfiltration membrane were as follows: the polymer was St₇₁-b-DEAEMA₈₂, the “open time” was 20s, the non-solvent bath was the pH = 2 distilled water, and the solvent composition was 25% THF and 75% DMF. Both polymers were shown to form self-supporting membrane systems that were able to react onto pH stimuli in terms of water flux.     

Reversibly light‐responsive biodegradable poly(carbonate) micelles constructed via CuAAC reaction

Light‐responsive poly(carbonate)s PEG₁₁₃‐b‐PMPC_n‐SP were synthesized via copper catalyzed azide‐alkyne cycloaddition reaction between azide‐modified spiropyran (SP‐N₃) and amphiphilic copolymer PEG₁₁₃‐b‐PMPC_n. PEG₁₁₃‐b‐PMPC₂₅‐SP can self‐assemble to biocompatible micelles with an average diameter of ～96 nm and a critical aggregation concentration of 0.0148 mg mL^?1. Under 365 nm UV light irradiation, the characteristic absorption intensity of merocyanine (MC) progressively increased and most of the micellar aggregations were disrupted within 10 min, suggesting the completion of the transformation of hydrophobic SP to hydrophilic MC. Subsequent exposuring the micelles to 620 nm visible light, spherical micelles aggregated again. The light‐controlled release and re‐encapsulation behaviors of coumarin 102‐loaded micelles were further investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. This study provides a convenient way to construct smart poly(carbonate)s nanocarriers for controlled release and re‐encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 750–760     

A pH-responsive TiO2-based Pickering emulsion system for in situ catalyst recycling

Through tuning the surface wettability of interfacially active TiO₂ particles, a pH-responsive Pickering emulsion system is formed, as in situ separation and recycling of the nano-catalysts system.     

A sol-gel derived pH-responsive bovine serum albumin molecularly imprinted poly(ionic liquids) on the surface of multiwall carbon nanotubes

A pH-responsive surface molecularly imprinted poly(ionic liquids) (MIPILs) was prepared on the surface of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by a sol-gel technique. The material was synthesized using a 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane modified multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT-APTES) as the substrate, bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the template molecule, an alkoxy-functionalized IL 1-(3-trimethoxysilyl propyl)-3-methyl imidazolium chloride ([TMSPMIM]Cl) as both the functional monomer and the sol-gel catalyst, and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as the crosslinking agent. The molecular interaction between BSA and [TMSPMIM]Cl was quantitatively evaluated by UV–vis spectroscopy prior to polymerization so as to identify an optimal template/monomer ratio and the most suitable pH value for the preparation of the MWCNTs@BSA-MIPILs. This strategy was found to be effective to overcome the problems of trial-and-error protocol in molecular imprinting. The optimum synthesis conditions were as follows: template/monomer ratio 7:20, crosslinking agent content 2.0–2.5 mL, temperature 4 °C and pH 8.9 Tris–HCl buffer. The influence of incubation pH on adsorption was also studied. The result showed that the imprinting effect and selectivity improved significantly with increasing incubation pH from 7.7 to 9.9. This is mainly because the non-specific binding from electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions decreased greatly with the increase of pH value, which made the specific binding affinity from shape selectivity strengthened instead. The polymers synthesized under the optimal conditions were then characterized by BET surface area measurement, FTIR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The adsorption capacity, imprinting effect, selective recognition and reusability were also evaluated. The as-prepared MWCNTs@BSA-MIPILs were also found to have a number of advantages including high surface area (134.2 m² g⁻¹), high adsorption capacity (55.52 mg g⁻¹), excellent imprinting effect (imprinting factor of up to 5.84), strong selectivity (selectivity factor of 2.61 and 5.63 for human serum albumin and bovine hemoglobin, respectively), and good reusability.     

Synthesis,Characterization and Aqueous Solution Behavior of a pH-responsive Double Hydrophilic Block Copolymer

The pH-responsive double hydrophilic block copolymer poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(methacylic acid-co-4-vinyl benzylamine hydrochloride salt) (PEG-b-PMAA/PVBAHS) was synthesized. A series of PEG-b-PMAA/PVBAHS with different molecule weights and compositions were characterized by IR, ¹H-NMR, elemental analysis and TGA. With different MAA/VBAHS ratio, the PEG-b-PMAA/PVBAHS copolymers had the different isoelectric point (IEP). Supermolecular structures of the block copolymers could be formed by the interionic interactions at different solution pH. Experiment results showed that the structures of the pH-responsive copolymers in aqueous solution could be changed at different pH environments. The aggregation of this double hydrophilic block copolymer in aqueous solution was determined by both of solution pH and copolymer composition.