A reduction-responsive drug delivery with improved stability: disulfide crosslinked micelles of small amiphiphilic molecules.

ABSTRACT: Micelles self-assembled from small amphiphilic molecules are unstable in biological fluids, and thus are poor drug carriers. In contrast, amphiphilic polymer micelles can encapsulate hydrophobic drugs in their core to greatly enhance their aqueous solubility and extend their retention time in blood circulation owing to their hydrophilic shell. However, the major disadvantages of conventional polymer micelles are the heterogeneity of the amphiphilic polymer structure and premature drug leakage. Thus, herein, to address these shortcomings, disulfide crosslinked micelles composed of a small amphiphilic molecule, di-lipoyl-glycerophosphorylcholine (di-LA-PC), were developed as redox-responsive drug carriers. Specifically, di-LA-PC was synthesized and self-assembled to form crosslinked micelles

SUBMITTER: Li M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8697188 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature