Self-assembled cationic triblock copolymer mPEG-b-PDLLA-b-PDMA nanoparticles as nonviral gene vector
writer：X. Yue, W. Zhang, J. Xing, B. Zhang, L. Deng, S. Guo, J. Yang, Q. Zhang and A. Dong
keywords：cationic triblock copolymer, nanoparticles, nonviral gene vector
source：期刊
specific source：Soft Matter
Issue time：2012年
In this study, well-defined amphiphilic cationic triblock copolymers with different lengths of polycationic chain, methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(D,L-lactide)-b-poly(2 dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (mPEG-b-PDLLA-b-PDMA), were synthesized and evaluated as carriers for gene delivery. The prepared copolymers can self-assemble into spherical core–shell nanoparticles (NPs). The NPs have a very low critical micelle concentration (CMC) value with only 0.025 mg mL1. Both copolymers can completely condense the pDNA into spherical complexes when the N/P ratio is equal to or above 3. Bovine serum albumin challenging and DNase I protection assay results demonstrate the mPEG-b-PDLLA-b-PDMA NPs can effectively protect the DNA against protein and nucleases. MTT assay results indicate that mPEG-b-PDLLA-b-PDMA NP/pDNA complexes exhibit obviously lower cytotoxicity compared with commercial gene transfection reagent Lipofectamine 2000/pDNA complexes. Subsequently, in vitro gene transfection studies in HeLa cells without serum show that mPEG113-b-PDLLA10-b-PDMA120 NP/pDNA complexes exhibit higher transfection efficiency than Lipofectamine 2000. Although the transfection efficiency is lower than that in the absence of serum, mPEG113-b-PDLLA10-b-PDMA120 NPs still display equivalent gene transfection efficiency compared to Lipofectamine 2000 when N/P ratio is above 15 in DMEM with 10% serum.