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Hydrolytically and Reductively Degradable High‐Molecular‐Weight Poly(ethylene glycol)s
Author(s) -
Braunová Alena,
Pechar Michal,
Laga Richard,
Ulbrich Karel
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.200700315
Subject(s) - ethylene glycol , chemistry , hydrolysis , polymer , dithiothreitol , polymer chemistry , peg ratio , organic chemistry , cystine , cysteine , enzyme , finance , economics
Reductively degradable multiblock polymers for gene and drug delivery were synthesised by oxidative polycondensation of poly(ethylene glycol)‐cysteine derivatives containing ester or urethane bonds. Hydrolysis of the polymers at pH = 5.5, 7.4 and 8.0 and reductive degradation with glutathione and dithiothreitol were studied. The hydrolysis rate of polymer esters increased with increase in pH; the hydrolysis of polymer urethanes was negligible. Chemical substitution of the pendant COOH or NH 2 groups significantly affected the rate of the polymer degradation. Surface modification of poly( L ‐lysine)‐DNA complexes with PEG‐cystine multiblocks led to the formation of reductively degradable nanoparticles.