Self-assembled, thermoresponsive micelles based on triblock PMMA-b-PNIPAAm-b-PMMA copolymer for drug delivery

A novel thermosensitive amphiphilic ABA triblock poly( methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-poly( methyl methacrylate) copolymer (PMMA-b-PNIPAAm-b-PMMA) comprised of two hydrophobic PMMA segments and one hydrophilic PNIPAAm segment was designed and synthesized. The structure of the copolymer was characterized by FT-IR, (HNMR)-H-1, and GPC analysis. The cytotoxicity study showed that the PMMA-b-PNIPAAm-b-PMMA copolymer exhibited low cytotoxicity. The copolymer was capable of self-assembling into micelles in water and demonstrated temperature sensitivity at around 34.5 degrees C. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the micelles exhibit nanosized spherical morphology within a size range of 60 nm with a critical micellar concentration (CMC) at 10 mg l(-1). The drug-loading PMMA-b-PNIPAAm-b-PMMA micelles showed thermosensitive-controlled release which indicates the potential of PMMA-b-PNIPAAm-b-PMMA micelles as drug carriers.