Polymeric micelle systems, generated by self-assembly of amphiphilic polymers attract great interests for their use as nano-carriers for therapeutic molecules. Stabilization of hydrophobic molecules in water is traditionally achieved using linear diblock polymeric amphiphiles. Little is known regarding the use of more complex structures such as brush and graft amphiphiles. Herein, we discuss the use of PEG/ PLA- based brush polymers for the stabilization of hydrophobic solutes in aqueous media. Nanoparticles, loaded and unloaded, were prepared by a rapid change in solvent quality. Polymers shared the same chemical composition but differed in the arrangement of the chains along the backbone were synthesized. The properties of the obtained micelles, including critical micelles concentrations and assembly morphologies were then compared. In addition, we studied the drug-loading behaviors of brush amphiphiphile with different molecular structures, using β-carotene as the model drug. A higher loading capability was found for brush amphiphiles with branched structure.<br/><br/>Finally, we evaluated nanoparticles stability as a function of PEG chain density in the presence of bovine serum albumin, for linear, dendritic and brush amphiphiles. Our observations show that hydrophilic surface presentation will strongly influence stability.

Solute stabilization via amphiphilic polymers possessing different architectures

249th National Meeting (2015)

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