Self-organized thermo-responsive poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid)-graft-pullulan nanoparticles for synergistic thermo-chemotherapy of tumor.

Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid)-graft-pullulan (PPLGA) based self-organized nanoparticles hold immense potential for synergistic thermo-chemotherapy of tumor. Herein, the biocompatible and biodegradable PPLGA were synthesized by a novel microwave-assisted solution polymerization. The polymers showed thermo-responsive properties, which was attributed to the change of polymer-water hydrogen bonding in controlling the macromolecular contraction, chain collapse as a result of changes in micro-rigidity of core. The curcumin loaded PPLGA nanoparticles (CUR-PPLGA-N), with impressively high drug loading (10.85 ± 0.27 %), exhibited temperature dependence in drug release kinetics. The results of both MTT and antitumor efficiency elucidated that the CUR-PPLGA-N under high temperature facilitated on-demand drug release from the nano-assembly and had a synergistic therapeutic effect for cancer. Thus the developed thermo-responsive PPLGA addressed concerns related to the low drug loading and inefficient drug release at target sites, and might be considered as a powerful nanoplatform for synergistic thermo-chemotherapy of tumor.