Assembly of catechol-modified polymer brushes for drug delivery

Therapeutic nanoparticles (NPs) have shown their potential for biomedical applications (e.g., drug delivery). In this study, we report the synthesis of a bottlebrush block copolymer by ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) and fabrication of pH-responsive NPs (denoted as BNPs) by self-assembly of an innovative bortezomib (BTZ) prodrug. The cleavage of borate ester bonds at acidic pH results in the release of BTZ from BNPs. Moreover, BNPs can inhibit cell and tumor growth without significant side effects.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates the synthesis of a bottlebrush block copolymer by ROMP for the fabrication of pH-responsive NPs containing a bortezomib prodrug. The cleavage of borate ester bonds in acidic pH environment leads to the release of bortezomib, showing effective inhibition of cell and tumor growth with minimal side effects.