Targeted and efficient delivery of therapeutics to tumor cells is one of the key issues in cancer therapy. In the present work, we report a temperature and pH dual responsive core-shell nanoparticles comprising smart polymer shell coated on magnetic nanoparticles as an anticancer drug carrier and cancer cell-specific targeting agent. Magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs), prepared by a simple coprecipitation method, was surface modified by introducing amine groups using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. Dual-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-block-poly(acrylic acid) copolymer, synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, was then attached to the amine-functionalized MNPs via EDC/NHS method. Further, to accomplish cancer-specific targeting properties, folic acid was tethered to the surface of the nanoparticles. Thereafter, rhodamine B isothiocyanate was conjugated to endow fluorescent property to the MNPs required for cellular imaging applications. The nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), zeta potential, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements, and FTIR, UV-vis spectral analysis. Doxorubicin (DOX), an anticancer drug used for the present study, was loaded into the nanoparticles and its release behavior was subsequently studied. Result showed a sustained release of DOX preferentially at the desired lysosomal pH and temperature condition. The biological activity of the DOX-loaded MNPs was studied by MTT assay, fluorescence microscopy, and apoptosis. Intracellular-uptake studies revealed preferential uptake of these nanoparticles into cancer cells (HeLa cells) compared to normal fibroblast cells (L929 cells). The in vitro apoptosis study revealed that the DOX-loaded nanoparticles caused significant death to the HeLa cells. These nanoparticles were capable of target specific release of the loaded drug in response to pH and temperature and hence may serve as a potential drug carrier for in vivo applications.

The basic requirement for understanding the nonviral gene delivery pathway is a thorough biophysical characterization of DNA polyplexes. In this work, we have studied the interactions between calf-thymus DNA (ctDNA)and a new series of linear cationic block copolymers (BCPs). The BCPs were synthesized via controlled radical polymerization using [3-(methacryloylamino)propyl] -trimethylammonium chloride (MAPTAC) and poly(ethyleneglycol) methyl ether (PEGMe) as comonomers. UV−visible spectroscopy, ethidium bromide dye exclusion, and gel electrophoresis study revealed that these cationic BCPs were capable of efficiently binding with DNA. Steady-state fluorescence, UV melting, gel electrophoresis, and circular dichroism results suggested increased binding for BCPs containing higher PEG. Hydrophobic interactions between the PEG and the DNA base pairs became significant at close proximity of the two macromolecules, thereby influencing the binding trend. DLS studies showed a decrease in the size of DNA molecules at lower charge ratio (the ratio of “+” charge of the polymer to “−” charge of DNA) due to compaction, whereas the size increased at higher charge ratio due to aggregation among the polyplexes. Additionally, we have conducted kinetic studies of the binding process using the stop-flow fluorescence method. All the results of BCP−DNA binding studies suggested a two-step reaction mechanism--a rapid electrostatic binding between the cationic blocks and DNA, followed by a conformational change of the polyplexes in the subsequent step that led to DNA condensation. The relative rate constant(k'(1)) of the first step was much higher compared to that of the second step (k'(2)), and both were found to increase with an increase in BCP concentration. The charge ratios as well as the PEG content in the BCPs had a marked effect on the kinetics of the DNA−BCP polyplex formation. Introduction of a desired PEG chain length in the synthesized cationic blocks renders them potentially useful as nonviral gene delivery agents.

The ability to regulate the formation of nanostructures through self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers is of immense significance in the field of biology and medicine. In this work, a new block copolymer synthesized by using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization technique from poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether acrylate (PEGMA) and Boc-l-tryptophan acryloyloxyethyl ester (Boc-l-trp-HEA) was found to spontaneously form pH-responsive water-soluble nanostructures after removal of the Boc group. While polymer vesicles or polymerosomes were formed at physiological pH, the micelles were formed at acidic pH (< 5.2), and this facilitated a pH-induced reversible vesicle-to-micelle transition. Formation of these nanostructures was confirmed by different characterization techniques, viz. transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and steady-state fluorescence measurements. Further, these vesicles were successfully utilized to reduce HAuCl4 and stabilize the resulting gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). These AuNPs, confined within the hydrophobic shell of the vesicles, could participate in energy transfer process with fluorescent dye molecules encapsulated in the core of the vesicles, thus forming a nanometal surface energy transfer (NSET) pair. Subsequently, following the efficiency of energy transfer between this pair, it was possible to monitor the process of transition from vesicles to micelles. Thus, in this work, we have successfully demonstrated that NSET can be used to follow the transition between nanostructures formed by amphiphilic block copolymers.

We report an excellent photoresponsive controlled release formulation based on a coumarin copolymer for pesticide 2,4-D.

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