Block copolymers have been attracting growing attention to construct nanostructured materials with distinctive functionalities and morphologies by means of self-assembly. With mixing oppositely charged pair of block/block or block/homo ionomers in aqueous entity, assemblies of polyion complexes (PICs) with a variety of morphology are prepared just by modulating the composition of block ionomer segments. These assemblies include PIC micelles, PIC vesicles (PICsomes), and even macro-scaled coacervates with ordered fine structures such as lamellae and gyroids. Herein, I would like to focus on the biomedical functionalities of PICsomes prepared from block ionomers composed of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and charged poly(amino acid) segments. These PICsomes are prepared in aqueous entity in controlled size, most typically in the range of 100 to 400 nm, with keeping their narrow size distribution. Moreover, they can easily encapsulate macromolecular compounds in the inner cavity surrounded by unilamellar membrane of PIC with semi-permeable characteristics. Actually, enzyme-loaded PICsomes have been shown to work <i>in vivo</i>as systemically-injectable bio-nanoreactors, converting non-toxic prodrugs to their active forms selectively in tumor. Furthermore, their PIC membrane can further be functionalized by choosing oligonucleotide therapeutics, <i>i.e.</i>siRNA and antisense oligo, as counter part of block catiomers, revealing relevance of PICsome in nanomedicine application.

Polyion complex vesicles (PICsomes) assembled from block ionomers in nanomedicine application

2019 Fall National Meeting

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.