A biodegradable CO2-based polymeric antitumor nanodrug via a one-pot surfactant- and solvent-free miniemulsion preparation

In the present study, low molecular weight poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC, Mn = 3500), a biodegradable liquid polymer easily prepared from carbon dioxide (CO2), was modified into poly(propylene carbonate) diacrylate (PPC-DA) by acylation, and methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) was modified into methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) acrylate (mPEG-A). Using PPC-DA as the dispersant to dissolve the hydrophobic doxorubicin (DOX) and the initiator, mPEG-A as the co-monomer and polymerisable surfactant, a biodegradable nanodrug with excellent biocompatibility was prepared by shear emulsification polymerization without surfactant or organic solvent residue. The nanodrug can be efficiently endocytosed by tumor cells, and can release doxorubicin rapidly triggered by acidic endosomal pH. As evidenced by in tumor-bearing mice experiments, such nanodrug is stealthy during blood circulation, and targeted tumor sites with high efficiency. Moreover, this nanodrug is more effective and less toxic than free doxorubicin. This study provides a green and versatile approach to prepare biodegradable nanodrugs in a simple and efficient process. Moreover, this study extendes CO2 based polymer in biomedical field, which promote the development of CO2 polymerization fixation.