Fabrication of pH responsive coacervates using a polycation-b-polypropylene glycol diblock copolymer for versatile delivery platforms

Abstract

A new poly (3-arginylamino propylene succinate-b-polypropylene glycol) (PAPS-PPG) diblock copolymer was synthesized by one-pot ring opening polymerization (ROP) technique. 1H NMR spectral technique was used to determine arginine conjugation efficiency and molecular weight of final polycations by using 4,4-dimethyl-4-silapentane-1-ammonium trifluoroacetate (DSA) as an internal standard. The PAAPS-PPG polycation was electrostatically complexed with heparin (HEP) at an isoelectric point to obtain PAAPS-PPG/HEP coacervate microparticles (Coa MPs). The PAAPS-PPG/HEP Coa MPs exhibit acid induced dissociation at pH 5, but PAAPS/HEP Coa MPs without PPG block do not show acid induced dissociation. The PPG block in PAAPS-PPG/HEP Coa MPs increased 20 folds of cell attachment efficiency on human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). The PAAPS-PPG/HEP Coa MPs could effectively encapsulate siRNA and exhibit more than 95% cell viability up to 200μg/mL. Hence, the pH responsive PAAPS-PPG/HEP Coa MPs platform with enhanced stem cell attachment ability would find potential application in gene delivery.