Acidity-Induced Destabilization of Nano-Sized Supramolecular Linear-Hyperbranched Polymersome for Controlled Release...

This study reports a linear-hyperbranched supramolecular amphiphile and its vesicular nanoassembly with acidity-sensitive susceptibility including volume extension and membrane rupture. Involvement of a host-guest interaction in the amphiphilic construction allows not only facile control of the assembly types (solid and hollow nanoparticles), but also the one-step achievement of both polymersome fabrication and drug encapsulation. The pH-dependency of assembly stability leads to the controlled release of encapsulated hydrophilic agents in an acidity-accelerated manner. By blocking the endosomal acidification progression using NH4 Cl treatment, the lysosomal acid environment is suggested to play an important role in the drug release behavior inside cells and contributes much to nuclei-tropic drug transport.