RAPIDLY pH-RESPONSIVE DEGRADABLE POLYMERSOMES FOR TRIGGERED RELEASE OF HYDROPHILIC AND HYDROPHOBIC ANTICANCER DRUGS

摘要

Rapidly pH-responsive biodegradable polymersomes were prepared from block copolymers composed of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and an acid-labile polycarbonate, poly(2,4,6-trimethoxybenzylidene-pentaerythritol carbonate) (PTMBPEC). The obtained polymersomes had average sizes of 100~200 nm. These polymersomes though sufficiently stable at pH 7.4 were prone to fast hydrolysis at mildly acidic pH of 4.0 and 5.0. These polymersomes were able to simultaneously load paclitaxel (PTX, hydrophobic) and doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX·HCl, hydrophilic). The in vitro release studies demonstrated that both PTX and DOX-HCl were released in a pH-dependent manner.