Polycaprolactone-graft-Poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate-co-methoxy polyethylene glycol monomethacrylate)
(PCL-graft-P(DMAEMA-co-mPEGMMA)) was synthesized by combination of ring-opening polymerization (ROP)
and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). PCL-graft-P(DMAEMA-co-mPEGMMA) was characterized by FTIR, 1H
NMR, and GPC. PCL-graft-P(DMAEMA-co-mPEGMMA) with expected composition and structure was achieved. pH- and
thermo-sensitive properties of the PCL-graft-P(DMAEMA-co-mPEGMMA) nanoparticles prepared by the nanoprecipitation
method were investigated by TEM and DLS. With increase in the temperature, the size of
PCL-graft-P(DMAEMA-co-mPEGMMA) nanoparticles is decreased under base environment. Furthermore, in vitro
transfection and toxicity assays were tested in 293T cells. The results indicate that PCL-graft-P(DMAEMA-co-PEGMMA)
has lower cytotoxicity at N/P ratios less than 10 with transfection efficiency concomitantly reducing at N/P ratios less
than 20 compared to PCL-graft-PDMAEMA as the control. However, PCL-graft-P(DMAEMA-co-PEGMMA) presents
higher transfection efficiency at N/P ratios more than 20 compared to PCL-graft-PDMAEMA.