Redox-Sensitive Cross-linked Micelles Based on Disulfied Bond as Potential Drug Carriers

Ze-tong Xu, Qing-han Zhou

A novel redox-sensitvie cross-linked micelles based on disulfide-linked copolymer were prepared and characterized as potential carrier for drug delivery. In this experiment N,N-bis(acrylate) cystamine (BAC) served as cross-linker, poly(e-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-lysine) (PZLL) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) methyl ether methacrylate acted as comonomers. The molecular structure and characteristics of the cross-linked micelle was confirmed by ¹H NMR and FT-IR. The copolymer was able to self-assembled into micelles, and the micellar nanostructure was investigated by DLS and TEM. The cross-linked micelles was designed to degraded into individual linear short chains in the presence of glutathione (GSH) by the cleavage of the disulfide linkages from the cross-linker BAC. All the results showed that the designed cross-linked polymeric micelles may be a promising carrier for drug delivery in intracellular reducing environment.