Poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) nanoparticles with cross-linked cores as drug carriers

Micelle-like nanoparticles that could be used as drug-delivery carriers were developed. The unique feature of these nanoparticles was that the core of poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PEO-b-PNIPAAm) micelle was lightly cross-linked with a biodegradable cross-linker, N,N-bis(acryloyl)cystamine (BAC). The nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic light scattering and fluorescence measurements. When the BAC content ranged from 0.75 wt% to 0.2 wt% of the mass of NIPAAm, the diameters of the nanoparticles were less than 150 nm. The anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (Dox) and 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) were used as fluorescent probes to study the hydrophobicity of the cores of the nanoparticles; the results showed that the cores of the nanoparticles were hydrophobic enough to sequester Dox and DPH. The nanoparticles with 0.5 wt% BAC stored at room temperature were stable up to 2 weeks, even at dilute concentrations. The degradation of BAC by reducing agent beta-mercaptoethanol was investigated, and the nanoparticles were not detectable 14 days after adding beta-mercaptoethanol.