pH-sensitive properties of surface charge-switched multifunctional polymeric micelle.

A surface charge-switched polymeric micelle with a pH signal was developed as a drug-carrying nanovehicle for tumor targeting. The micelles (particle size: approximately 85 nm), constructed from poly(L-lactic acid)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(L-lysine-N(epsilon)-(2,3-dimethyl maleic acid)) (PLA-b-PEG-b-PLys-DMA) and formed by self-assembly in an aqueous pH 7.4 solution, consisted of a hydrophobic core (PLA core) and two hydrophilic shells (PEG shell and PLys-DMA shell).