Design, synthesis, and characterization of pH-sensitive PEG-PE conjugates for stimuli-sensitive pharmaceutical nanocarriers: the effect of substitutes at the hydrazone linkage on the ph stability of PEG-PE conjugates

Bioconjug Chem. 2007 Mar-Apr;18(2):363-70. doi: 10.1021/bc060228x. Epub 2007 Feb 20.

Abstract

A set of aliphatic and aromatic aldehyde-derived hydrazone (HZ)-based acid-sensitive polyethylene glycol-phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-PE) conjugates was synthesized and evaluated for their hydrolytic stability at neutral and slightly acidic pH values. The micelles formed by aliphatic aldehyde-based PEG-HZ-PE conjugates were found to be highly sensitive to mildly acidic pH and reasonably stable at physiologic pH, while those derived from aromatic aldehydes were highly stable at both pH values. The pH-sensitive PEG-PE conjugates with controlled pH sensitivity may find applications in biological stimuli-mediated drug targeting for building pharmaceutical nanocarriers capable of specific release of their cargo at certain pathological sites in the body (tumors, infarcts) or intracellular compartments (endosomes, cytoplasm) demonstrating decreased pH.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Drug Carriers*
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Drug Design*
  • Drug Stability
  • Hydrazones / chemistry
  • Hydrazones / pharmacology*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Micelles
  • Nanoparticles*
  • Phosphatidylethanolamines / chemical synthesis*
  • Phosphatidylethanolamines / chemistry
  • Phosphatidylethanolamines / pharmacology
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemical synthesis*
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry
  • Polyethylene Glycols / pharmacology

Substances

  • Drug Carriers
  • Hydrazones
  • Micelles
  • Phosphatidylethanolamines
  • dioleoyl-N-(monomethoxypolyethylene glycol succinyl)phosphatidylethanolamine
  • Polyethylene Glycols