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Self-Immolative Polymersomes for High-Efficiency Triggered Release and Programmed Enzymatic Reactions
journal contribution
posted on 2014-05-21, 00:00 authored by Guhuan Liu, Xiaorui Wang, Jinming Hu, Guoying Zhang, Shiyong LiuStimuli-triggered
disassembly of block copolymer vesicles or polymersomes
has been conventionally achieved via solubility switching of the bilayer-forming
block, requiring cooperative changes of most of the repeating units.
Herein we report an alternative approach by incorporating hydrophobic
blocks exhibiting stimuli-triggered head-to-tail cascade depolymerization
features. Amphiphilic block copolymers bearing this motif self-assemble
into self-immolative polymersomes (SIPsomes). By modular design of
terminal capping moieties, visible light, UV light, and reductive
milieu can be utilized to actuate SIPsomes disintegration into water-soluble
small molecules and hydrophilic blocks. The design of SIPsomes allows
for triggered drug co-release and controllable access toward protons,
oxygen, and enzymatic substrates. We also demonstrate programmed (OR-,
AND-, and XOR-type logic) enzymatic reactions by integrating SIPsome
encapsulation and trigger/capping moiety-selective cascade depolymerization
events.