Our PhD student Benjamin was leading the project and successfully developed this new system. Congratulations!
The paper describes the development of a double responsive polysaccharide-based material that effectively transports photoactive therapeutics into cells.
“Double Stimuli-Responsive Polysaccharide Block Copolymers as Green Macrosurfactant for Near-Infrared Photodynamic Therapy”
B. Breitenbach, E. Steiert, M. Konhäuser, L.-M.Vogt, Y. Wang, S. H. Parekh and P. R. Wich
Soft Matter, 2019, just accepted. (DOI: 10.1039/C8SM02204F)
(Special Edition: Soft Matter Emerging Investigators 2019)
Abstract:
The NIR absorbing photosensitizer phthalocyanine zinc (PC(Zn)) was stabilized in aqueous media as water-dispersible nanoparticles with a reduction- and pH-responsive full polysaccharide block copolymer. A cellular uptake and also photo switchable intracellular activity of the cargo upon irradiation with wavelengths in the near infrared region was shown. The block copolymer was synthesized applying a copper-free click strategy based on a thiol exchange reaction, creating an amphiphilic double-stimuli-responsive mixed disulfide. The dual-sensitive polysaccharide micelles represent a non-toxic and biodegradable green macro surfactant for the delivery of phthalocyanine zinc. By encapsulation into micellar nanoparticles, the bioavailability of PC(Zn) was increased significantly, enabling smart photodynamic therapy for future applications in cancer-related diseases.