In vitro ageing and degradation of PEG-PLA diblock copolymer-based nanoparticles

Diblock copolymers composed of poly(oxy-ethylene) (POE) and poly(dl-lactic acid) segments were synthesized by anionic polymerization of d,l-lactide using the oxyanion formed by reaction of the monohydroxyl monomethoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) on sodium hydride. For comparison, a similar copolymer was prepared by using tin octoate to catalyze the lactide polymerization. The copolymers were used to make nanoparticles, which were stored at 4 °C. After a few months under these storage conditions, a dramatic decrease of the poly(ethylene glycol) content was observed, however, the mean diameter of the nanoparticles was not affected. The degradation of the nanoparticles was investigated in vitro under conditions selected to mimic physiological conditions. Changes of characteristics were monitored by 1H NMR, SEC, DLLS and CZE on nanoparticles and/or on the degradation by-products dissolved in the ageing medium. According to their nanometric dimensions, the microparticles degraded very slowly and there was no difference in behaviour between the sodium hydride and the stannous octoate-derived copolymers.