Poly(ethylene oxide sulfide):  New Poly(ethylene glycol) Derivatives Degradable in Reductive Conditions

• Published in: Biomacromolecules Vol. 6; no. 1; pp. 24 - 26
• Main Authors: Lee, Yan, Koo, Heebeom, Jin, Geun-woo, Mo, Heejung, Cho, Min Yi, Park, Jong-Yeun, Choi, Joon Sig, Park, Jong Sang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.01.2005
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival - drug effects; Dimethyl Sulfoxide - chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; Glutathione - chemistry; Humans; Molecular Weight; Organic polymers; Oxidation-Reduction; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polycondensation; Polyethylene Glycols - chemical synthesis; Polyethylene Glycols - chemistry; Polyethylene Glycols - pharmacology; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Sulfides - chemical synthesis; Sulfides - chemistry; Sulfides - pharmacology; Temperature; Time Factors; Biological properties; Solution polycondensation; Self condensation; Biodegradability; Control release polymer; Telechelic polymer; Ether copolymer; Cytotoxicity; Drug carrier; Ethylene oxide copolymer; Experimental study; Sulfur copolymer; Preparation; Disulfide copolymer; Aliphatic copolymer
• ISSN: 1525-7797; 1526-4602
• DOI: 10.1021/bm049658l

Poly(ethylene oxide sulfide) (PEOS), polymers consisting of an internal ethylene oxide oligomer and disulfide linkage, were synthesized and characterized. The degree of polymerization was dependent upon temperature, dimethyl sulfoxide condition, and monomer hydrophobicity. The stability of PEOS was measured by the size exclusion chromatography method after the incubation both with and without 5 mM glutathione. The disulfide bond was stable in the extracellular condition but completely degraded in 2 h in the reductive cytosolic condition. Hydrophilic PEOS polymers showed no cytotoxicity on the HepG2 cell line. On the basis of these properties, PEOS can be applied in many drug delivery fields.