Fabrication of Nanoparticles Via Polymerization Induced Self-Assembly for Drug Delivery and Diagnosis

Abstract

Overcoming biological barriers and achieving effective treatment for cancer therapy still require new strategies and designs in the drug delivery
area. Nanoparticles have emerged as versatile and effective research tools at last decades for these purposes. Size, shape and surface chemistry
are determinative characteristics of nanoparticles for their pharmacokinetic and biodistribution profiles. At that point, Polymerization Induced
Self-Assembly (PISA) is an eligible technique to form polymeric nanoparticles with desired properties when mediated by reversible addition–
fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. In this study, previously fabricated oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate
(OEGMEMA) and styrene based polymeric nanoparticles prepared via PISA have been inspired and a new strategy is demonstrated to
overcome possible surface interaction and aggregation problems. ABC type triblock copolymer based polymeric nanoparticles were fabricated
via RAFT mediated PISA technique. For the fabrication of such nanoparticles firstly, poly oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate
(POEGMEMA) polymer was synthesized using RAFT polymerization as macro-chain transfer agent (MCTA) with repeating unit number 15.
Then glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) monomer was polymerized using this MCTA to get POEGMEMA-b-PGMA diblock copolymer as second
level MCTA. Finally, styrene (ST) monomer was polymerized using obtained second level MCTA in methanol to synthesize POEGMEMAb-PGMA-b-PST triblock copolymer for performing PISA. Obtained nanoparticles were characterized using dynamic light scattering analysis.
Having functionalizable PGMA segment as inner shell of the nanoconstructs, these nanoparticles are suitable for covalent bonding of drug
molecules or diagnostic reagents for cancer therapy