Controlled Delivery of Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles by pH-Sensitive Polymersomes

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Development of advanced nanocarriers for multimodal drug delivery is crucial.
• pH-responsive polymersomes offer potential for targeted and controlled release applications.
• Integration of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can enhance imaging and therapeutic capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create and characterize composite gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)/polymersome formulations.
• To investigate the pH-responsive drug release kinetics of these novel nanocarriers.
• To evaluate the potential for improved multimodal drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of amphiphilic pentablock terpolymer: poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL-PEO-P2VP-PEO-PCL).
• Preparation of pH-responsive polymersomes integrating prefunctionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and a hydrophobic model probe.
• Partial quaternization of the P2VP block to introduce cationic moieties.
• Monitoring of cargo release under simulated physiological and tumor pH conditions.

Main Results:

• Successfully developed composite AuNPs/polymersome formulations with pH-responsive and biodegradable membranes.
• Encapsulated AuNPs and hydrophobic probes within the polymersomes' hydrophilic lumen.
• Demonstrated improved and controlled cargo release kinetics compared to individual nanocarriers.
• Showcased tunable release profiles influenced by pH and chemical modifications.

Conclusions:

• Composite AuNPs/polymersome formulations represent a promising platform for advanced multimodal drug delivery.
• The pH-responsive nature and tunable release kinetics offer significant advantages for targeted therapies.
• Further chemical modifications can optimize drug delivery performance for specific applications.