Novel ‘nano in nano’ composites consisting of biodegradable polymer nanoparticles incorporated into polymer nanofibers may efficiently modulate drug delivery. This is shown here using a combination of model compound‐loaded biodegradable nanoparticles encapsulated in electrospun fibers. The dye coumarin 6 is used as model compound for a drug in order to simulate drug release from loaded poly(lactide‐co‐glycolide) nanoparticles. Dye release from the nanoparticles occurs immediately in aqueous solution. Dye‐loaded nanoparticles which are encapsulated by electrospun polymer nanofibers display a significantly retarded release.
Comb‐shaped glycopolymer/peptide bioconjugates are constructed by grafting reduced glutathione (GSH) onto acrylate‐functional block glycocopolymers via thiol‐ene click chemistry. In aqueous solution, the glycopolymer/GSH bioconjugate self‐assembles to sugar‐installed spherical micelles. The size of micelles decreases with increasing pH, demonstrating pH‐responsive character. The isoelectric point (IEP) of the PMAGlc/GSH bioconjugate is estimated to be 3.43. The micelles show a specific interaction with the protein Concanavalin A. At endosomal pH, the PMAGlc/GSH bioconjugate can gradually degrade. These pH‐responsive glycopolymer/peptide micelles with biological recognition and degradation can be used as multifunctional nanocarriers for targeted drug delivery.
