Macromolecules, Vol.47, No.8, 2703-2711, 2014
Biodegradable Magnetic Nanocarrier for Stimuli Responsive Drug Release
Biocompatible nanocarriers conjugated with magnetic nanoparticle, doxorubicin and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEG) motif have been designed (PVLPEG-PVLDOXI-PCL-PHOS) to create a magnetic vector under magnetic field. Acylhydrazine linker is used to release the drug exactly at the mild acidic conditions resembling the pH of the cancerous cells. All the monomers and polymers are characterized carefully by the routine analytical techniques. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), FT-IR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques are employed to confirm the anchoring of iron particle (Fe3O4) to the PVLPEG-PVLDOXI-PCL-PHOS. Reservoir capabilities of the newly designed biodegradable nanocarrier are tested by both dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Drug release profile from nanocarrier is monitored by fluorimeter. The release profile shows the importance of having the acylhydrazine linker that helps to release the drug at the mild acidic conditions similar to cancerous cells. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and flow cytometry studies on 4T cells indicate that nanocarriers from PVLPEG-PVLDOXI-PCL-PHOS polymer are internalized efficiently. It is very interesting to note that the nanocarriers have exhibited both biologically and magnetically targeting abilities toward 4T cells in vitro.