Redox-Responsive Crosslinked Mixed Micelles for Controllable Release of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester

We report the elaboration of redox-responsive functional micellar nanocarriers designed for triggered release of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) in cancer therapy. Three-layered micelles, comprising a poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) core, a middle poly(acrylic acid)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PAA/PEO) lay...

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Main Authors: Katya Kamenova, Georgy Grancharov, Vasilena Kortenova, Petar D. Petrov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-03-01
Series:Pharmaceutics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/14/3/679
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author Katya Kamenova
Georgy Grancharov
Vasilena Kortenova
Petar D. Petrov
author_facet Katya Kamenova
Georgy Grancharov
Vasilena Kortenova
Petar D. Petrov
author_sort Katya Kamenova
collection DOAJ
description We report the elaboration of redox-responsive functional micellar nanocarriers designed for triggered release of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) in cancer therapy. Three-layered micelles, comprising a poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) core, a middle poly(acrylic acid)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PAA/PEO) layer and a PEO outer corona, were prepared by co-assembly of PEO<sub>113</sub>-<i>b</i>-PCL<sub>35</sub>-<i>b</i>-PEO<sub>113</sub> and PAA<sub>13</sub>-<i>b</i>-PCL<sub>35</sub>-<i>b</i>-PAA<sub>13</sub> amphiphilic triblock copolymers in aqueous media. The preformed micelles were loaded with CAPE via hydrophobic interactions between the drug molecules and PCL core, and subsequently crosslinked by reaction of carboxyl groups from PAA and a disulfide crosslinking agent. The reaction of crosslinking took place in the middle layer of the nanocarriers without changing the encapsulation efficiency (EE~90%) of the system. The crosslinked polymeric micelles (CPMs) exhibited superior structural stability and did not release CAPE in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). However, in weak acidic media and in the presence of 10 mM reducing agent (dithiothreitol, DTT), the payload was released at a high rate from CPMs due to the breakup of disulfide linkages. The physicochemical properties of the nanocarriers were investigated by dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering (DLS and ELS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The rapid release of CAPE under intracellular-like conditions and the lack of premature drug release in media resembling the blood stream (neutral pH) make the developed CPMs a promising candidate for controllable drug release in the microenvironment of tumors.
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spelling doaj.art-e2d1ce67949e42ca8fe2d22a2fa683d02023-11-30T21:58:23ZengMDPI AGPharmaceutics1999-49232022-03-0114367910.3390/pharmaceutics14030679Redox-Responsive Crosslinked Mixed Micelles for Controllable Release of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl EsterKatya Kamenova0Georgy Grancharov1Vasilena Kortenova2Petar D. Petrov3Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Akad. G. Bonchev St., Block 103-A, 1113 Sofia, BulgariaInstitute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Akad. G. Bonchev St., Block 103-A, 1113 Sofia, BulgariaInstitute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Akad. G. Bonchev St., Block 103-A, 1113 Sofia, BulgariaInstitute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Akad. G. Bonchev St., Block 103-A, 1113 Sofia, BulgariaWe report the elaboration of redox-responsive functional micellar nanocarriers designed for triggered release of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) in cancer therapy. Three-layered micelles, comprising a poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) core, a middle poly(acrylic acid)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PAA/PEO) layer and a PEO outer corona, were prepared by co-assembly of PEO<sub>113</sub>-<i>b</i>-PCL<sub>35</sub>-<i>b</i>-PEO<sub>113</sub> and PAA<sub>13</sub>-<i>b</i>-PCL<sub>35</sub>-<i>b</i>-PAA<sub>13</sub> amphiphilic triblock copolymers in aqueous media. The preformed micelles were loaded with CAPE via hydrophobic interactions between the drug molecules and PCL core, and subsequently crosslinked by reaction of carboxyl groups from PAA and a disulfide crosslinking agent. The reaction of crosslinking took place in the middle layer of the nanocarriers without changing the encapsulation efficiency (EE~90%) of the system. The crosslinked polymeric micelles (CPMs) exhibited superior structural stability and did not release CAPE in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). However, in weak acidic media and in the presence of 10 mM reducing agent (dithiothreitol, DTT), the payload was released at a high rate from CPMs due to the breakup of disulfide linkages. The physicochemical properties of the nanocarriers were investigated by dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering (DLS and ELS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The rapid release of CAPE under intracellular-like conditions and the lack of premature drug release in media resembling the blood stream (neutral pH) make the developed CPMs a promising candidate for controllable drug release in the microenvironment of tumors.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/14/3/679block copolymersco-assemblyredox-responsive mixed micellesnanocarrierscaffeic acid phenethyl ester
spellingShingle Katya Kamenova
Georgy Grancharov
Vasilena Kortenova
Petar D. Petrov
Redox-Responsive Crosslinked Mixed Micelles for Controllable Release of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester
Pharmaceutics
block copolymers
co-assembly
redox-responsive mixed micelles
nanocarriers
caffeic acid phenethyl ester
title Redox-Responsive Crosslinked Mixed Micelles for Controllable Release of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester
title_full Redox-Responsive Crosslinked Mixed Micelles for Controllable Release of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester
title_fullStr Redox-Responsive Crosslinked Mixed Micelles for Controllable Release of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester
title_full_unstemmed Redox-Responsive Crosslinked Mixed Micelles for Controllable Release of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester
title_short Redox-Responsive Crosslinked Mixed Micelles for Controllable Release of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester
title_sort redox responsive crosslinked mixed micelles for controllable release of caffeic acid phenethyl ester
topic block copolymers
co-assembly
redox-responsive mixed micelles
nanocarriers
caffeic acid phenethyl ester
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/14/3/679
work_keys_str_mv AT katyakamenova redoxresponsivecrosslinkedmixedmicellesforcontrollablereleaseofcaffeicacidphenethylester
AT georgygrancharov redoxresponsivecrosslinkedmixedmicellesforcontrollablereleaseofcaffeicacidphenethylester
AT vasilenakortenova redoxresponsivecrosslinkedmixedmicellesforcontrollablereleaseofcaffeicacidphenethylester
AT petardpetrov redoxresponsivecrosslinkedmixedmicellesforcontrollablereleaseofcaffeicacidphenethylester