Synthesis and characterization of pH-responsive and folated nanoparticles based on self-assembled brush-like PLGA/PEG/AEMA copolymer with targeted cancer therapy properties: A comprehensive kinetic study

Abstract

In this study, a novel nanocarrier was synthesized based on methacrylated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (mPLGA) as a lipophilic domain, acrylated methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (aMPEG) as hydrophilic part and N-2-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino] ethyl methacrylamide (Boc-AEMA) as pH-responsive segment. Radical polymerization of the above-mentioned three modified monomers produces amphiphilic brush-like copolymer. The protecting amine group (Boc) was selectively deprotected and the latter targeted copolymer was produced through the reaction of this copolymer with activated folic acid. Nanoprecipitation method was used to prepare quercetin-loaded nanoparticles. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis showed that the produced nanoparticles had nanometric size (<100nm) and low polydispersity in size at different pHs. Higuchi and Korsmeyer–Peppas models were applied to evaluate release mechanisms and kinetics. Based on in-vitro degradation study, we found that the brush-like copolymer underwent a rapid weight loss in acidic pH.