The pH/temperature-induced phase transition of
poly((N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl
methacrylate (DMAEMA)-co-ethylacrylamide (EAAm)) was investigated.
Although polyDMAEMA and polyEAAm
were reported to exhibit a lower critical solution temperature (LCST)
at 50 and 80 °C, respectively, a
LCST shift from 50 to 4 °C was observed with copolymers of DMAEMA
with EAAm, and this behavior
was quite different at pH 4.0 and 7.4. This is due to the
formation of hydrogen bonding between DMAEMA
and EAAm residues with a hydrophobic contribution to the LCST. To
apply this polymer system to
glucose-controlled insulin release, a molded matrix consisting of
poly(DMAEMA-co-EAAm), glucose
oxidase, and insulin was prepared. This matrix exhibited a rapid
change from insolubility to solubility
when exposed alternately to solutions with ions and a high glucose
concentration, resulting in glucose-controlled insulin release.