Copolymers of N‐isopropylacrylamide can trigger pH sensitivity to stable liposomes

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Abstract
Stable liposomes were rendered pH‐sensitive by complexation to a polymer that undergoes marked temperature‐ and pH‐dependent water solubility changes. The N‐isopropylacrylamide‐methacrylic acid copolymer was prepared with or without octadecyl acrylate. At pH below the phase transition of the polymer, egg phosphatidylcholine liposomes quickly released a part of their contents only when associated with the octadecyl aliphatic chain grafted polymer at 37°C. Similarly, sterically stabilized liposomes also quickly released a significant part of the entrapped fluorescent markers at pH 5.5–4.9, values corresponding to those of endosomes/lysosomes. This new pH‐sensitive liposome‐polymer system may further improve the efficiency of liposomal drug delivery.

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