We engineered phototherapeutic sub-12 nm-sized polymeric micelles to treat malignant brain tumours (MBTs). The engineered nanoparticles in MBT cells enhanced the photocytotoxic efficiency more than 2.5-fold compared with parental and PEGylated photosensitisers (PSs). Increased subcellular co-localisation of PSs in mitochondria was observed.

A new approach to prepare functional polymeric micelles in a one step reaction using the unique catalytic property of PHA synthase is described. A biopolymer-based nanocarrier with cancer targeting capability was successfully synthesized from genetically engineered PHA synthase fused with RGD peptide.

This study developed novel triblock pH-responsive polymeric micelles (PMs) using cholic acid-polyethyleneimine-poly-L-arginine (CA-PEI-pArg) copolymers. PEI provided pH sensitivity, while the hydrophilic cell-penetrating pArg peptide promoted cellular PM internalization. The copolymers self-assembled into PMs in aqueous solution at above the critical micelle concentration (2.98 × 10-7 M) and en...

The interaction between pyrene-labeled poly(acrylamido)-2-methylpropane sulfonate) (PyPAMPS) and mixed micelles of n-dodecylhexaoxyethylene glycol monoether/n-hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (C12E6/CTAC) was studied by turbidimetry, quasielastic light scattering (QELS), fluorescence quenching, and UV spectroscopy. The present report focuses on the effect of the pyrene label on the polymer-m...

PURPOSE The failure of cancer treatments is partly due to the enrichment of cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs) that are resistant to conventional chemotherapy. A novel micelle formulation of oxaliplatin (OXA) encapsulated in chitosan vesicle was developed. The authors postulate that micelle encapsulation of OXA would eliminate both CSLCs and bulk cancer cells in colorectal cancer (CRC). EXPERIMEN...

To prepare immunomicelles, new targeted carriers for poorly soluble pharmaceuticals, a procedure has been developed to chemically attach mAbs to reactive groups incorporated into the corona of polymeric micelles made of polyethylene glycol-phosphatidylethanolamine conjugates. Micelle-attached antibodies retained their ability to specifically interact with their antigens. Immunomicelles with att...

For the past decade engineered nanoplatforms have seen a momentous progress in developing a multimodal theranostic formulation which can be simultaneously used for imaging and therapy. In this report we describe the synthesis and application of theranostic phospholipid based polymeric micelles for optical fluorescence imaging and controlled drug delivery. CdSe quantum dots (QDs) and anti-cancer...

This commentary highlights the findings by Kessinger et al. (Theranostics 2011; 1: 263-275) that dynamic T(2)*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of cyclic RGD peptide-encoded superparamagnetic polymeric micelle (SPPM) nanoparticles allows quantitative analysis of tumor integrin αvβ3 expression, which can exclude the effect of blood volume and extravascular signal components and thus pro...

Boronic acid-containing (co)polymers have fascinated researchers for decades, garnering attention for their unique responsiveness toward 1,2- and 1,3-diols, including saccharides and nucleotides. The applications of materials that exert this property are manifold including sensing, but also self-regulated drug delivery systems through responsive membranes or micelles. In this review, some of th...

Polymeric micelles and shell crosslinked knedel-like (SCK) nanoparticles were loaded with up to 48% (w/w) cisplatin. These spherical cisplatin-loaded nanoparticles displayed sustained platinum release over 5 days in PBS, enhanced stability over free cisplatin in aqueous milieu, and significant antitumor activity in vitro against two cancer cell lines.