REDOX-RESPONSIVE POLYMER DELIVERY SYSTEMS FOR ANTI-CANCER DRUG AND IMAGING

Abstract

Cancer is one of the major human killers. Delivery systems for anti-cancer drugs and imaging agents play important roles in cancer treatment and diagnosis. For development of safe and efficient delivery systems, stimuli-responsive polymers which undergo significant physical or chemical properties change in response to environmental variations are becoming more important. Exploring the much more reductive environment in intracellular compartments compared to extracellular matrixes, redox-responsive polymers are promising in providing high efficacy with low side effects of drugs and imaging agents delivered. The synthesis of the redox-responsive poly(amido amine)s with either linear or hyperbranched structure was monitored in detail and optimized. For drug delivery, the functionalized redox-responsive poly(amido amine)s can ensure secure encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs and exhibited pH- and redox-responsive drug release. As for the delivery of imaging agents, the functionalized redox-responsive poly(amido amine)s showed biodegradability and redox- ¿turn-on¿ imaging characteristic.