Innovative polymeric systems for drug delivery applications

In the continuous search to improve the performance of therapeutic agents several efforts are focused on the design of smart tools. In particular, these systems help to reduce the typical drawbacks as drug resistance or low selective action and allow to develop a personalized medicine, tailoring the therapy on the individual patient responses and needs. In this perspective polymer-based nanomaterials are widely employed as carriers, thanks to their biocompatibility, biodegradability and easily derivatization. The engineering of polymer-based nanomaterials allowed to reach smart drug release processes under external stimuli to enhance therapeutic efficacy, while reducing side effects.1 In this context we developed a light responsive core-shell drug nanocarrier based on poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA) nanocapsules containing silver (Ag) NPs. Subsequent LASER light irradiation, tuned at the Ag NPs’ surface plasmon resonance (SPR), induces a relevant drug release process. Conversely, without specific irradiation, almost not significant drug release was detected. Then, Ag-PMA nanocapsules can store a large amount of a given drug for a long time and release it at the targeted site under remote control.2 Moreover, the incorporation of traceable agent for imaging into therapeutic nanocarriers can lead to a multifunctional device, with well-tuned diagnostic and therapeutic properties.3 Recently the potentiality of 19F MRI as non-invasive imaging technique has emerged. To prepare new theranostic devices, we covalently labeled by 19F two biocompatible polymers (polylactic-co-glycolic acid and hyperbranched polyether copolymers), and successively loaded them with hydrophobic model drugs. Both systems showed a good colloidal stability, cytocompatibility and drug delivery ability, together with promising results as 19F MRI contrast agents. On the overall, these outcomes show the potentiality of these systems as new generation 19F MRI nanotheranostic devices.4,5 1) Aitang Zhang, Kenward Jung, Aihua Li, Jingquan Liu, Cyrille Boyer. “Recent Advances in Stimuli-Responsive Polymer Systems for Remotely Controlled Drug Release” Progress in Polymer Scince, 2019, 99, 101164. DOI: 10.1016/J.PROGPOLYMSCI.2019.101164. 2) Giulia Neri, Carmelo Corsaro, Enza Fazio. “Plasmon-Enhanced Controlled Drug Release from Ag-PMA Capsules” Molecules, 2020, 25, 2267. DOI: 10.3390/molecules25092267; 3) Brian T. Luk, Liangfang Zhang. “Current Advances in Polymer-Based Nanotheranostics for Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis” ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2014, 6, 21859. DOI:10.1021/am5036225; 4) Wanda Celentano, Giulia Neri, Francesco Distante, Min Li, Piergiorgio Messa, Cristina Chirizzi, Linda Chaabane, Floryan De Campo, Pierangelo Metrangolo, Francesca Baldelli Bombelli, Francesco Cellesi. “Design of fluorinated hyperbranched polyether copolymers for 19F MRI nanotheranostics” Polym. Chem., 2020, 11, 3951. DOI: 10.1039/d0py00393j; 5) Giulia Neri, Giuliana Mion, Andrea Pizzi, Wanda Celentano, Linda Chaabane, Michele R. Chierotti, Roberto Gobetto, Min Li, Piergiorgio Messa, Floryan De Campo, Francesco Cellesi, Pierangelo Metrangolo, Francesca Baldelli Bombelli. “Fluorinated-PLGA Nanoparticles for Enhanced Drug Encapsulation and 19F-NMR Detection” Chem. Eur. J., 2020, 26, 10057. DOI: 10.1002/chem.202002078.