We report on the evaluation of micelles from an ionic triblock terpolymer as a multi-functional drug delivery platform. Multi-compartment micelles are formed when polybutadiene-block-poly(1-methyl-2-vinyl pyridinium)-block-poly(methacrylic acid) self-assembles in aqueous solution, exhibiting a butadiene core, with discontinuous interpolyectrolyte complex (IPEC) domains on top of the core and a corona from excess MAA. A second IPEC shell is obtained when double hydrophilic poly(ethyleneglycol)-block-poly(L-lysine) (PEG-PLL) is added, which can be chemically crosslinked with MAA through amide formation. The micellar corona gradually changes from MAA to PEG, depending on the added amount of PEG-PLL. After incorporating hydrophobic NIR dyes, we were able to track the micelles with CLSM during uptake into cancer cells in vitro, where they are stable and co-localize with lysosomes. Toxicity of pure micelles was low, but increased after dye incorporation. Changes in the interaction with biological surroundings in vitro and in vivo with increasing PEG content are currently under investigation.

Towards multifunctional drug delivery systems from ionic triblock terpolymer micelles

244th National Meeting (2012)

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