Enhanced photodynamic therapy based on an amphiphilic branched copolymer with pendant vinyl groups for simultaneous GSH depletion and Ce6 release

An amphiphilic branched copolymer with pendent vinyl groups was synthesized to enhance the efficacy of photodynamic therapy through “thio–ene“ click reaction for simultaneous GSH depletion and Ce6 release.

Ratiometric Luminescent Nanoprobes Based on Ruthenium and Terbium-Containing Metallopolymers for Intracellular Oxygen Sensing

A collection of luminescent metal complexes have been widely used as oxygen probes in the biomedical field. However, single intensity-based detection approach usually suffered from errors caused by the signal heterogeneity or fluctuation of the optoelectronic system. In this work, respective ruthenium (II) and terbium (III) complexes were chosen to coordinate a bipyridine-branched copolymer, so that to produce oxygen-sensitive metallopolymer (Ru-Poly) and oxygen-insensitive metallopolymer (Tb-Poly). Based on the hydrophobic Ru-Poly and Tb-Poly, a ratiometric luminescent oxygen nanoprobe was facilely prepared by a nanoprecipitation method. The nanoprobes have a typical size of ~100 nm in aqueous solution, exhibiting a green-red dual-wavelength emission under the excitation of 300 nm and 460 nm, respectively. The red emission is strongly quenched by dissolved oxygen while the green one is rather stable, and the ratiometric luminescence was well fitted by a linear Stern–Volmer equation. Using the ratiometric biocompatible nanoprobes, the distribution of intracellular oxygen within three-dimensional multi-cellular tumor spheroids was successfully imaged.

pH-responsive polymeric vesicles from branched copolymers

A new type of branched copolymer, poly(l-lactide)2-b-poly(l-glutamic acid), based on polypeptide PLGA is synthesized by the ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydride of γ-benzyl-l-glutamate with amino-terminated PLLA2–NH2 and subsequent deprotection.

Branched copolymer-stabilised nanoemulsions as new candidate oral drug delivery systems

Branched copolymers offer very efficient nanoemulsion stabilisers with benefits for oral drug delivery.

Dual redox-responsive PEG–PPS–cRGD self-crosslinked nanocapsules for targeted chemotherapy of squamous cell carcinoma

A multifunctional branched copolymer, PEG–PPS–cRGD, was designed for developing dual redox-responsive self-crosslinked nanocapsules for targeted chemotherapy of squamous cell carcinoma.