In vitro drug release and biological evaluation of biomimetic polymeric micelles self-assembled from amphiphilic deoxycholic acid–phosphorylcholine–chitosan conjugate

• DCA–PCCs with phosphorylcholine and deoxycholic acid was synthesized.
• DCA–PCCs can self-assemble to form spherical micelles in aqueous system.
• DCA–PCCs micelles had excellent cytocompatibility and hemocompatibility.
• DCA–PCCs micelles loaded with quercetin exhibited a sustained drug release behavior.

Novel biomimetic amphiphilic chitosan derivative, deoxycholic acid–phosphorylcholine–chitosan conjugate (DCA–PCCs) was synthesized based on the combination of Atherton–Todd reaction for coupling phosphorylcholine (PC) and carbodiimide coupling reaction for linking deoxycholic acid (DCA) to chitosan. The chemical structure of DCA–PCCs was characterized by 1H and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The self-assembly of DCA–PCCs in water was analyzed by fluorescence measurements, dynamic laser light-scattering (DLS), zeta potential and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technologies. The results confirmed that the amphiphilic DCA–PCCs can self-assemble to form nanosized spherical micelles with biomimetic PC shell. In vitro biological evaluation revealed that DCA–PCCs micelles had low toxicity against NIH/3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblasts as well as good hemocompatibility. Using quercetin as a hydrophobic model drug, drug loading and release study suggested that biomimetic DCA–PCCs micelles could be used as a promising nanocarrier avoiding unfavorable biological response for hydrophobic drug delivery applications.

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