Magnetothermally responsive star-block copolymeric micelles for controlled drug delivery and enhanced thermo-chemotherapy

Magnetothermally responsive drug-loaded micelles were designed and prepared for cancer therapy. These specially designed micelles are composed of the thermo-responsive star-block copolymer poly(epsilon-caprolactone)-block-poly(2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethyl methacrylate-co-oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) and Mn, Zn doped ferrite magnetic nanoparticles (MZF-MNPs). The thermo-responses of 6sPCL-b-P(MEO(2)MA-co-OEGMA) copolymers were shown to be dependent on the MEO(2)MA to OEGMA ratio. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the star-block copolymers was controlled at 43 degrees C by adjusting the feed molar ratios of MEO(2)MA/OEGMA at 92 : 8. With the anti-tumor drug doxorubicin (DOX) self-assembling into the carrier system, the thermo-responsive micelles exhibited excellent temperature-triggered drug release behavior. In vitro cytotoxicity results showed high biocompatibility of the polymer micelles. Efficient cellular proliferation inhibition by the drug-loaded micelles was found on the HepG2 cells under different treatments. The thermo-responsive polymer micelles are promising for controlled drug delivery in tumor therapy under an alternating magnetic field.