A polyelectrolyte ionomer complex (PIC) composed of cationic and anionic polymers was developed for nanomedical applications. Here, a poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic acid)-poly(ethylene imine) triblock copolymer (PEG-PLA-PEI) and a poly(aspartic acid) (P[Asp]) homopolymer were synthesized. These polyelectrolytes formed stable aggregates through electrostatic interactions between the cationic ...

The treatment of glioblastoma, and other types of brain cancer, is limited due to the poor transport of drugs across the blood brain barrier and poor penetration of the blood‑brain‑tumor barrier. In the present study, cyclic Arginine‑Glycine‑Aspartic acid‑D‑Tyrosine‑Lysine [c(RGDyK)], that has a high binding affinity to integrin αvβ3 receptors, that are overexpressed in glioblastoma cancers, wa...

The instability of PEGylated polylactide micelles is a challenge for drug delivery. Stereocomplex interaction between racemic polylactide chains with different configurations provides an effective strategy to enhance the stability of micelles as the nanocarriers of drugs. In this work, a stereocomplex micelle (SCM) self-assembled from the amphiphilic triblock copolymers comprising poly(ethylene...

We evaluated the combination of leaching techniques and melt blending of polymers and particles for the preparation of highly interconnected three-dimensional polymeric porous scaffolds for in vitro studies of human hepatocarcinoma processes. More specifically, sodium chloride and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) were used as water-soluble porogens to form porous and solvent-free poly(L,D-lactide) (...

A range of hydrogels were prepared by solution polymerization of methacrylic acid, poly(ethyleneglycol) methyl ether methacrylate (M.W. 475 g/mol) and poly(ethyleneglycol) dimethacrylate (as the cross-linking, M.W. 550 or 875 g/mol) in various proportions. The effects of methacrylic acid/ poly(ethyleneglycol) methyl ether methacylate concentration ratios as well as cross-linking concentration i...

In the present study, paclitaxel (PTX) were encapsulated with polyethylene glycol (PEG)-polylactide (PLA)/D-α tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) (PEG-PLA/TPGS) and the enhanced anti-tumor activity of this PTX mixed micelles (PTX-MM) was evaluated in lung cancer cells. The PTX-MM prepared by a solvent evaporation method was demonstrated to have high drug-loading efficiency (23....

Core-polymerized and boron-conjugated micelles (PM micelles) were prepared by free radical copolymerization of a PEG-b-PLA block copolymer bearing an acetal group and a methacryloyl group (acetal-PEG-b-PLA-MA), with 1-(4-vinylbenzyl)-closo-carborane (VB-carborane), and the utility of these micelles as a tumor-targeted boron delivery system was investigated for boron neutron capture therapy (BNC...