Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 9, 2026

Preparation and Characterization of Lipophilic Doxorubicin Pro-drug Micelles
Published on: August 2, 2016
Vitamin E containing polymer micelles for reducing normal cell cytotoxicity and enhancing chemotherapy efficacy
Kuan-Yi Lee1, Yi-Ting Chiang1, Ning-Yu Hsu1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Yang Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan.
Abstract:
An α-tocopheryl succinate (α-TOS) containing diblock copolymer micellar system was used to deliver doxorubicin (Dox), an anticancer drug, for HCT116 colon cancer therapy. The α-TOS containing diblock copolymers were synthesized by conjugation of α-TOS molecules and a mPEG-b-PHEMA hydrophilic diblock copolymer by ester bonds. The Dox-loaded polymeric micelles were then obtained by solvent exchange process. In acidic surroundings such as endosomes or secondary lysosomes, the structures of the Dox-loaded polymeric micelles deformed and released the drug loads. Additionally, Dox-loaded polymeric micelles enhanced the cytotoxicity of Dox and α-TOS to cancer cells in vitro. Dox-loaded polymeric micelles also showed an exceptional tumor inhibiting effect in vivo. This study indicates that the α-TOS containing polymeric micelle system can be used as a drug carrier for cancer therapy.
Related Concept Videos
Site-Targeted Drug Delivery Systems: Polymeric Carriers
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
Tumor Immunotherapy
Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...

