• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.146-151
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• 2006

Linear and branched copolymers consisting of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and $Poly({\varepsilon}-caprolactone)$ (PCL) were prepared to compare the characterization of star-shaped copolymers with various molecular architecture. Linear and branched PEG-PCL (1-arm, 2-arm, 4-arm, and 8-arm) copolymers were synthesized by the ring-opening polymerization of ${\varepsilon}-caprolactone$ in the presence of HCl $Et_2O$ as a monomer activator at room temperature. The synthesized copolymers were characterized with $^1H-NMR$, GPC, DSC, and XRD. As a result of the DSC and XRD, each copolymers showed different thermal properties and crystallinity according to the number of ms. The micellar characterization of linear and branched copolymers in an aqueous phase was carried out by using NMR, dynamic light scattering, AM, and fluorescence techniques. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) and diameters of micelles depended on the number of arms. Most micelles exhibited a spherical shape in AFM. In this study, we characterized star-shaped PEG-PCL copolymers and investigated their molecular architecture effect on the various properties. Furthermore, we confirmed that the micelles termed with linear and branched PEG-PCL copolymers have possibility as a potential hydrophobic drug delivery vehicle.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.464-470
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• 2006

Diblock copolymers consisting of methoxy Poly (ethylene glycol) (MPEG) and poly (${\epsilon}-ca$ prolactone) (PCL), poly(${\delta}-valerolactone$) (PVL), poly(L-lactide) (PLLA), or poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) were prepared to compare the characterization of diblock copolymers as a drug carrier. MPEG-PCL, MPEG-PVL, MPEG-PLLA, and MPEG-PLGA diblock copolymers were synthesized by the ring-opening polymerization of ${\epsilon}$-caprolactone or ${\delta}$-valerolactone in the presence of $HCl{\cdot}Et_2O$ as a monomer activator at room temperature and by the ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide or a mixture of L-lactide and glycolide in the presence of stannous octoate at $130^{\circ}C$, respectively. The synthesized diblock copolymers were characterized with $^1H-NMR$, GPC, DSC, and XRD. The micellar characterization of MPEG-polyester diblock copolymers in an aqueous phase was carried out by using NMR, dynamic light scattering, AFM, and fluorescence techniques. Most micelles exhibited a spherical shape in AFM. Thus, ore confirmed that the micelles formed with MPEG-polyester diblock copolymers have possibility as a potential hydrophobic drug delivery vehicle because a hydrophobic drug could be preferentially distributed in the micelle core.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.223-228
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• 2012

Temperature and pH sensitive graft copolymers [Pluronic-$g$-poly(NIPAAm-$co$-MMA), Polymer A] and [Pluronic-$g$-poly( NIPAAm-$co$-MAA), Polymer C] were synthesized by macro radical graft polymerization with $N$-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAM)/$N,N$-diethylaminoethylmethacrylate (DEAEMA) and $N$-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm)/methacrylic acid (MAA) based on Pluronic, respectively. The chemical structure and molecular weight of the graft copolymers was characterized by $^1H$ NMR and gel permeation chromatography. The aqueous solution properties of graft copolymers were measured using a UV-visible spectrophotometer, contact angle and dynamic light scattering equipment with different temperature and pH conditions. The obtained graft copolymers showed a very sensitive phase transition in response to temperature and pH in aqueous media which suggested that the amine group of DEAEMA segment and carboxylic group of MAA had a great influence on the lower critical solution temperatures (LCST) in Polymer A and C, respectively. The graft copolymers can be utilized for drug delivery system and molecular switching applications where responses to temperature and pH changes are relevant.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.420-426
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• 2012

In this study, we prepared polymer micelles containing quercetin and rutin, known as antioxidants, using poly(${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone)-b-poly(ethylene glycol), and evaluated in vitro skin permeation of the active materials. Quercetin and rutin loaded micelles were characterized by DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) and DLS (dynamic light scattering) measurements. The particle size of the polymer micelles increased in a concentration dependent manner (0.5~2.0% PCL-b-PEG). The Zeta potential of quercetin and rutin loaded micelles remained constant. To evaluate the skin penetration of PCL-b-PEG micelles, Franz diffusion cell experiment was performed. The aqueous solutions of quercetin and rutin were used as the control groups. Quercetin and rutin loaded PCL-b-PEG micelles showed more efficient skin permeation than the control groups. Safety assessment (patch test) of quercetin and rutin loaded PCL-b-PEG micelles on skin was performed to test application possibility of the polymer micelles to cosmetics. Any adverse symptoms were not observed.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.389-395
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• 2009

To develop the carrier of hydrophobic antifungal agents based on low molecular weight water-soluble chitosan (LMWSC), LMWSC was chemically modified with deoxycholic acid (DA) which is one of the bile acid as a hydrophobic group. The nanoparticles (WSCDA) using DA conjugated LMWSC were characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmittance electron microscope (TEM). The particle size of WSCDA ranged from 250 to 350 nm and increased with the number of DA substitution. The loaded itraconazole as an antifungal agent WSCDA nanoparticles (WSCDA-ITCN) were prepared by solvent evaporation method. The drug content and the loading efficiency were investigated approximately $9{\sim}10%$ and $61{\sim}68%$ by UV spectrophotometer, respectively. The release of drug from nanoparticles was slow and showed sustained release characteristics. Based on the results of release study that the higher DA contents in WSCDA, the slower the releasing rate, the WSCDA-ITCN could be used as an excellent antifungal agent.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.106-112
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• 2018

Recently, the hyperthermia treatment of malignant tissues has gained great attention as a biocompatible and benign method that facilitates successful cancer therapy compared to radiation and chemotherapy. In this study, superparamagnetic ($Fe_3O_4$) iron oxide nanoparticles (IONP) coated with biocompatible polymer (IONP@P(MPC/FOM)) for the purpose of hyperthermia treatment were prepared and related characterization were performed. IONPs with having 15 nm diameter were first prepared by coprecipitation and followed by surface modification with 4-cyanopentanoic acid dithiobenzoate (CTP) for reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) copolymerization by using 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and fluorescein O-methacrylate (FOM) to form corona layer of P(MPC/FOM) on the surface of the IONP. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) confirmed the morphology and hydrodynamic size of the IONP@P(MPC/FOM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed the formation of P(MPC/FOM) corona layer, respectively. Exposing IONP dispersion to alternating magnetic field suggests that the IONP@P(MPC/FOM) aqueous dispersion with 0.2 wt.% can be used for hyperthermia treatment.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2010

This study introduces a flexible approach to enhance skin permeation by using ethosomes with deformable lipid membranes as well as controllable sizes. To demonstrate this, a set of ethosomes encapsulating an anti-hair loss ingredient, Triaminodil$^{TM}$, as a model drug, were fabricated with varying their size, which was achieved by solely applying the different level of mechanical energy, while maintaining their chemical composition. After characterization of the ethosomes with dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and deformability measurements, it was found that their membrane deformability depended on the particle size. Moreover, studies on in vitro skin permeation and murine anagen induction allowed us to figure out that the membrane deformability of ethosomes essentially affects delivery efficiency of Triaminodil$^{TM}$ through the skin. It was noticeable in our study that there existed an optimum particle size that can not only maximize the delivery of the drug through the skin, but also increase its actual dermatological activity. These findings offer a useful basis for understanding how ethosomes should be designed to improve delivery efficiency of encapsulated drugs therein in the aspects of changing their length scales and membrane properties.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2014

In this paper, we made a new polycationic polymeric liposome composed of low molecular weight polyethylenimine (PEI) and 10,12-pentacosadiynoic acid (PCDA). PCDA liposome was prepared by ultraviolet irradiation. PEI was further conjugated on the surface of the polymerized PCDA liposome using coupling reagents to make PCDA-PEI. The blue-to-red transition of PCDA liposome was observed during the coupling reaction. The size distribution of liposome and complexes with plasmid DNA was measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The complex formation was also identified by agarose gel electrophoresis and PicoGreen reagent assay. We confirmed the complex formation of the polymeric liposome with DNA and then performed transfection and cytotoxicity assay in HEK 293 and HeLa cells. As a result, PCDA-PEI showed significant gene transfection efficiency and low cytotoxicity. This study shows that PEI-conjugated PCDA liposome could be an efficient gene or drug delivery carrier.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.509-515
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• 2021

In this study, poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (PNP) were prepared through double (w/o/w) emlusion and emulsifying solvent-evaporation technique using PLGA, which has biocompatibility and biodegradability. To maximize stability and bioavailability of the particles, chitosan-coated PLGA nanoparticles (CPNP) were prepared by charge interaction between PNP and chitosan. We demonstrated that CPNP can be utilized as a drug carrier of oral administration. The chemical structure of CPNP was analyzed by ¹H-NMR and FT-IR, and all characteristic peaks appeared, confirming that it was successfully prepared. In addition, particle size and zeta potential of CPNP were analyzed using dynamic light scattering (DLS) while morphological images were obtained using transmission electron microscope (TEM). Thermal decomposition behavior of CPNP was observed through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition, the cytotoxicity of CPNP was confirmed by MTT assay at HEK293 and L929 cell lines, and it was proved that there is no toxicity confirmed by the cell viability of above 70% at all concentrations. These results suggest that the CPNP developed in this study may be used as an oral drug delivery carrier.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.257-264
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• 2019

Objective: Dairy cattle nutrient requirement systems acknowledge amino acid (AAs) requirements in aggregate as metabolizable protein (MP) and assume fixed efficiencies of MP used for milk protein. Regulation of mammary protein synthesis may be associated with AA input and milk protein output. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nanoemulsified methionine and cysteine on the in-vitro expression of milk protein (casein) in bovine mammary epithelial cells (MAC-T cells). Methods: Methionine and cysteine were nonionized using Lipoid S 75 by high-speed homogenizer. The nanoemulsified AA particle size and polydispersity index were determined by dynamic light scattering correlation spectroscopy using a high-performance particle sizer instrument. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was performed to determine the cytotoxicity effect of AAs with and without nanoionization at various concentrations (100 to $500{\mu}g/mL$) in mammary epithelial cells. MAC-T cells were subjected to 100% of free AA and nanoemulsified AA concentration in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium/nutrient mixture F-12 (DMEM/F12) for the analysis of milk protein (casein) expression by the quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method. Results: The AA-treated cells showed that cell viability tended to decrease (80%) in proportion to the concentration before nanogenesis, but cell viability increased as much as 90% after nanogenesis. The analysis of the expression of genetic markers related to milk protein indicated that; ${\alpha}_{s2}$-casein increased 2-fold, ${\kappa}$-casein increased 5-fold, and the amount of unchanged ${\beta}$-casein expression was nearly doubled in the nanoemulsified methionine-treated group when compared with the free-nanoemulsified methionine-supplemented group. On the contrary, the non-emulsified cysteine-administered group showed higher expression of genetic markers related to milk protein ${\alpha}_{s2}$-casein, ${\kappa}$-casein, and ${\beta}$-casein, but all the genetic markers related to milk protein decreased significantly after nanoemulsification. Conclusion: Detailed knowledge of factors, such nanogenesis of methionine, associated with increasing cysteine and decreasing production of genetic markers related to milk protein (casein) will help guide future recommendations to producers for maximizing milk yield with a high level of milk protein casein.