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pH /enzyme/light triple‐responsive vesicles from lysine‐based amphiphilic diblock copolymers
Author(s) -
Qin Guoyang,
Hu Cong,
Jiang Yanfen,
Dong Shuqi,
Liu Li,
Zhao Hanying
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2642-4169
pISSN - 2642-4150
DOI - 10.1002/pol.20210245
Subject(s) - micelle , vesicle , copolymer , amphiphile , moiety , chemistry , polymer chemistry , ethylene glycol , polymerization , aqueous solution , biophysics , membrane , organic chemistry , biochemistry , polymer , biology
We report the synthesis of pH‐ and enzyme‐responsive amphiphilic diblock copolymers through reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization of a lysine‐derived methacrylate monomer comprising p ‐nitrobenzyl carbamate ( p NBC) functionality using a poly(ethylene glycol)‐modified macro‐chain transfer agent. Depending on the hydrophobic block length, the diblock copolymers self‐assemble to form spherical micelles, wormlike micelles, and bilayered vesicles in the aqueous solution. The responsive behaviors of the polymeric vesicles to pH, enzyme, and light are investigated in detail. As the pH lowers to pH 5.0, the polymeric vesicles undergo a morphological transition from vesicles to spherical micelles. In the presence of nitroreductase and a cofactor NADH, the decomposition of p NBC releases the ε‐NH 2 of the lysine moiety and hence induces the generation of the vesicles with crosslinked membranes at pH 7.4. Moreover, owing to the degradation of p NBC moiety under UV irradiation, the polymeric vesicles also demonstrate a photo‐responsive feature. As the irradiation time prolongs, it is observed a light‐triggered morphological transition from vesicles to wormlike micelles with network‐like structures.