• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.1539-1544
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• 2008

A polymeric micelle, based on the poly(benzyl-L-histidine)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) (polyBz-His-b-PEG) diblock copolymer, was designed as a tumor-specific targeting carrier. The micelles (particle size: 67-80 nm, critical micelle concentration (CMC); 2-3 $\mu$g/mL) were formed from the diafilteration method at pH 7.4, as a result of self-assembly of the polyBz-His block at the core and PEG block on the shell. Removing benzyl (Bz) group from polyBz-His block provided pH-sensitivity of the micellar core; the micelles were physically destabilized in the pH range of pH 7.4-5.5, depending on the content of the His group free from Bz group. The ionization of His group at a slightly acidic pH promoted the deformation of the interior core. These pHdependent physical changes of the micelles provide the mechanism for pH-triggering anticancer drug (e.g., doxorubicin: DOX) release from the micelle in response to the tumor’s extracellular pH range (pH 7.2-6.5).

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.147-154
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• 2018

Currently, to overcome low therapeutic efficiencies and side effects of anticancer agents, the study of drug carrier based on polymers have been consistently investigated. Although the traditional drug carrier based on polymers displayed an excellent result and significant progress, there has been a problem with the side effect and low therapeutic efficiency because of the premature drug release before reached to the targeted region by the low stability in blood stream and sustained drug release. In this review article, to improve the problem of inefficient drug release, methods were suggested, which can maximize the therapeutic efficiency by increasing the stability in the blood stream and triggering drug release at the target site by introducing a stimuli-responsive substance to the non-toxic and biocompatible natural polymer chitosan.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.219-224
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• 2018

Necroptosis is an emerging form of programmed cell death occurring via active and well-regulated necrosis, distinct from apoptosis morphologically, and biochemically. Necroptosis is mainly unmasked when apoptosis is compromised in response to tumor necrosis factor alpha. Unlike apoptotic cells, which are cleared by macrophages or neighboring cells, necrotic cells release danger signals, triggering inflammation, and exacerbating tissue damage. Evidence increasingly suggests that programmed necrosis is not only associated with pathophysiology of disease, but also induces innate immune response to viral infection. Therefore, necroptotic cell death plays both physiological and pathological roles. Physiologically, necroptosis induce an innate immune response as well as premature assembly of viral particles in cells infected with virus that abrogates host apoptotic machinery. On the other hand, necroptosis per se is detrimental, causing various diseases such as sepsis, neurodegenerative diseases and ischemic reperfusion injury. This review discusses the signaling pathways leading to necroptosis, associated necroptotic proteins with target-specific inhibitors and diseases involved. Several studies currently focus on protective approaches to inhibiting necroptotic cell death. In cancer biology, however, anticancer drug resistance severely hampers the efficacy of chemotherapy based on apoptosis. Pharmacological switch of cell death finds therapeutic application in drug- resistant cancers. Therefore, the possible clinical role of necroptosis in cancer control will be discussed in brief.