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In the last few years, an increased interest is being focused on the development of sustained release nanocarriers pointing to their possible application as intravenous nanomedicines with better performance and lower toxicity as compared to free drugs. We designed and tested several core-shell nanocapsules and nanoparticles (NPs), for the intravenous delivery of both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs respectively. As base materials, we employed biodegradable amphiphilic block copolymers of poly(-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(ethyleneoxide) (PEO) with different architectures. In the first stage of the project, stealth aqueous core nanocapsules for the delivery of hydrophilic molecules were prepared by the novel Emulsion/Melting-Sonication technique. Nanocapsules showed optimized technological properties (size, polidispersity index, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency and release rate) and an encouraging cytotoxicity profile, thus representing a nanosystem of great potential in several drug delivery applications, especially for passive targeting of hydrophiphilic drugs to solid tumors. In the second part of the work, core-shell PEO-PCL NPs for the sustained delivery of the highly lipophilic anticancer drug docetaxel (DTX) were obtained by the Melting-Sonication method. NPs were able to entrap high amounts of DTX related to copolymer properties, thus sustaining its release along time and not toxicity toward red blood cells was evidenced. A stronger efficiency in inhibiting cell growth of breast and prostate cancer cells than the free drug and not toxicity in experimental animal models were highlighted. As a final step, we combined DTX with zinc-phtalocyanine (ZnPc), a second generation photosensitizer used in Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), with the aim to obtain a combined chemio/photodynamic nanomedicine. Combined NPs provided high DTX and ZnPc loadings, a slow release of the chemotherapeutic drug and high efficacy of the photosensitizing agent in the singlet oxygen gen

The self‐assembly of specific polymers into well‐defined nanoparticles (NPs) is of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry as the resultant materials can act as drug delivery vehicles. In this work, a high‐throughput method to screen the ability of polymers to self‐assemble into NPs using a picoliter inkjet printer is presented. By dispensing polymer solutions in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) from the printer into the wells of a 96‐well plate, containing water as an antisolvent, 50 suspensions are screened for nanoparticle formation rapidly using only nanoliters to microliters. A variety of polymer classes are used and in situ characterization of the submicroliter nanosuspensions shows that the particle size distributions match those of nanoparticles made from bulk suspensions. Dispensing organic polymer solutions into well plates via the printer is thus shown to be a reproducible and fast method for screening nanoparticle formation which uses two to three orders of magnitude less material than conventional techniques. Finally, a pilot study for a high‐throughput pipeline of nanoparticle production, physical property characterization, and cytocompatibility demonstrates the feasibility of the printing approach for screening of nanodrug delivery formulations. Nanoparticles are produced in the well plates, characterized for size and evaluated for effects on metabolic activity of lung cancer cells.

Ligand-mediated targeting and internalization of plasma membrane receptors is central to cellular function. These types of receptors have accordingly been investigated as targets to facilitate entry of diagnostic and therapeutic constructs into cells. However, there remains a need to characterize how receptor targeting agents on nanoparticles interact at surface receptors and whether it is possible to control these interactions via exogenous stimuli. Here, we describe the switchable display of the iron-transporting protein, transferrin (Tf), at the surface of thermoresponsive polymer-coated gold nanoparticles, and show that internalization of the coated nanoparticles into target cells changes across temperature ranges over which transferrin is expected to be sterically ‘hidden’ by an extended polymer chain and then ‘revealed’ by polymer chain collapse. The switching process is dependent on the numbers of transferrin molecules and thermoresponsive polymer chains attached, and whether the assay temperature is above or below the transition temperatures of the responsive polymers at the nanoparticle surfaces. Significantly, however, the control of internalization is critically reliant on overall nanoparticle colloidal stability while the thermoresponsive component of the surface undergoes conformational change. The data show that the cell entry function of complex and large biomolecule ligands can be modulated by polymer-induced accessibility change, but that a simple ‘hide and reveal’ mechanism for ligand display following polymer chain collapse is insufficient to account for nanoparticle uptake and subsequent intracellular trafficking.

Non-covalent polymer-protein conjugation is emerging as a potential route to improve pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of protein therapeutics. In this study, a family of structurally related block copolymers of mPEG2k - poly(glutamic acid) with linear A-B (mPEG2k-lin-polyGA) and miktoarm A-B3 ((mPEG2k-mik-(polyGA)3) structure was synthesised by N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) ring-opening polymerisation to assess the effect of macromolecular topology of the copolymers on polymer-protein complexation. The data illustrate that the synthesised copolymers are capable of complexing a model protein, lysozyme, at optimal pH conditions through non-covalent interactions, with complexation efficiencies depending on the copolymers composition and molecular architecture. In native gel electrophoresis experiments, linear mPEG2k-lin-GA10 copolymer, possessing a short polyanionic polyGA block, shows a low level of complexation, which does not change when the number of polyGA branches of the same size is increased, using a miktoarm mPEG2k-mik-(GA10)3 copolymer. However, enhanced complexation is observed when the same number of ionisable GA units (30) are displayed on a linear macromolecular scaffold; mPEG2k-mik-(GA10)3 vs. mPEG2k-lin-GA30. Again complexation efficiency did not increase when the number of complexing polyGA branches were increased; mPEG2k-lin-GA30 vs. mPEG2k-mik-(GA30)3. Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) showed that the copolymer-protein complexes possessed hydrodynamic diameters in the 50-200 nm range, suggesting a degree of control in the assembly process. Sequestration of lysozyme within polymer complexes resulted in a decrease in its apparent enzymatic activity, which was re-established on the complexes dissociation upon a treatment with competitive complexant. Intrinsic fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) studies suggested structural conformation of the protein was not altered following complexation with mPEG2k-polyGA copolymers. Taken together, these resu

Ligand-mediated targeting and internalization of plasma membrane receptors is central to cellular function. These types of receptors have accordingly been investigated as targets to facilitate entry of diagnostic and therapeutic constructs into cells. However, there remains a need to characterize how receptor targeting agents on nanoparticles interact at surface receptors and whether it is possible to control these interactions via exogenous stimuli. Here, we describe the switchable display of the iron-transporting protein, transferrin (Tf), at the surface of thermoresponsive polymer-coated gold nanoparticles, and show that internalization of the coated nanoparticles into target cells changes across temperature ranges over which transferrin is expected to be sterically ‘hidden’ by an extended polymer chain and then ‘revealed’ by polymer chain collapse. The switching process is dependent on the numbers of transferrin molecules and thermoresponsive polymer chains attached, and whether the assay temperature is above or below the transition temperatures of the responsive polymers at the nanoparticle surfaces. Significantly, however, the control of internalization is critically reliant on overall nanoparticle colloidal stability while the thermoresponsive component of the surface undergoes conformational change. The data show that the cell entry function of complex and large biomolecule ligands can be modulated by polymer-induced accessibility change, but that a simple ‘hide and reveal’ mechanism for ligand display following polymer chain collapse is insufficient to account for nanoparticle uptake and subsequent intracellular trafficking.

In the treatment of lung cancer, there is an urgent need of innovative medicines to optimize pharmacological responses of conventional chemotherapeutics while attenuating side effects. Here, we have exploited some relatively unexplored subtle differences in reduction potential, associated with cancer cell microenvironments in addition to the well-known changes in intracellular redox environment. We report the synthesis and application of novel redox-responsive PLGA (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)) -PEG(polyethylene glycol) nanoparticles (RR-NPs) programmed to change surface properties when entering tumor microenvironments, thus enhance cell internalization of the particles and their drug cargo. The new co-polymers, in which PEG and PLGA were linked by ‘anchiomeric effector’ dithiylethanoate esters were synthesized by a combination of ring-opening polymerization and Michael addition reactions and employed to prepare NPs. Non redox-responsive nanoparticles (nRR-NPs) based on related PLGA-PEG copolymers were also prepared as comparators. Spherical NPs of around 120 nm diameter with a low polydispersity index and negative zeta potentials as well as good drug loading of docetaxel were obtained. The NPs showed prolonged stability in relevant simulated biological fluids and a high ability to penetrate an artificial mucus layer due to the presence of the external PEG coating. Stability, FRET and drug release studies in conditions simulating intracellular reductive environments demonstrated a fast disassembly of the external shell of the NPs, thus triggering on-demand drug release. FACS measurements and confocal microscopy showed increased and faster uptake of RR-NPs in both 2D- and 3D- cell culture models of lung cancer compared to nRR-NPs. In particular, the ‘designed-in’ reductive instability of RR-NPs in conditioned cell media, the fast PEG release in the extracellular compartment, as well as a diminution of uptake rate in control experiments where extracellular thiols we

The self‐assembly of specific polymers into well‐defined nanoparticles (NPs) is of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry as the resultant materials can act as drug delivery vehicles. In this work, a high‐throughput method to screen the ability of polymers to self‐assemble into NPs using a picoliter inkjet printer is presented. By dispensing polymer solutions in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) from the printer into the wells of a 96‐well plate, containing water as an antisolvent, 50 suspensions are screened for nanoparticle formation rapidly using only nanoliters to microliters. A variety of polymer classes are used and in situ characterization of the submicroliter nanosuspensions shows that the particle size distributions match those of nanoparticles made from bulk suspensions. Dispensing organic polymer solutions into well plates via the printer is thus shown to be a reproducible and fast method for screening nanoparticle formation which uses two to three orders of magnitude less material than conventional techniques. Finally, a pilot study for a high‐throughput pipeline of nanoparticle production, physical property characterization, and cytocompatibility demonstrates the feasibility of the printing approach for screening of nanodrug delivery formulations. Nanoparticles are produced in the well plates, characterized for size and evaluated for effects on metabolic activity of lung cancer cells.

Ligand-mediated targeting and internalization of plasma membrane receptors is central to cellular function. These types of receptors have accordingly been investigated as targets to facilitate entry of diagnostic and therapeutic constructs into cells. However, there remains a need to characterize how receptor targeting agents on nanoparticles interact at surface receptors and whether it is possible to control these interactions via exogenous stimuli. Here, we describe the switchable display of the iron-transporting protein, transferrin (Tf), at the surface of thermoresponsive polymer-coated gold nanoparticles, and show that internalization of the coated nanoparticles into target cells changes across temperature ranges over which transferrin is expected to be sterically ‘hidden’ by an extended polymer chain and then ‘revealed’ by polymer chain collapse. The switching process is dependent on the numbers of transferrin molecules and thermoresponsive polymer chains attached, and whether the assay temperature is above or below the transition temperatures of the responsive polymers at the nanoparticle surfaces. Significantly, however, the control of internalization is critically reliant on overall nanoparticle colloidal stability while the thermoresponsive component of the surface undergoes conformational change. The data show that the cell entry function of complex and large biomolecule ligands can be modulated by polymer-induced accessibility change, but that a simple ‘hide and reveal’ mechanism for ligand display following polymer chain collapse is insufficient to account for nanoparticle uptake and subsequent intracellular trafficking.

Non-covalent polymer-protein conjugation is emerging as a potential route to improve pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of protein therapeutics. In this study, a family of structurally related block copolymers of mPEG2k - poly(glutamic acid) with linear A-B (mPEG2k-lin-polyGA) and miktoarm A-B3 ((mPEG2k-mik-(polyGA)3) structure was synthesised by N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) ring-opening polymerisation to assess the effect of macromolecular topology of the copolymers on polymer-protein complexation. The data illustrate that the synthesised copolymers are capable of complexing a model protein, lysozyme, at optimal pH conditions through non-covalent interactions, with complexation efficiencies depending on the copolymers composition and molecular architecture. In native gel electrophoresis experiments, linear mPEG2k-lin-GA10 copolymer, possessing a short polyanionic polyGA block, shows a low level of complexation, which does not change when the number of polyGA branches of the same size is increased, using a miktoarm mPEG2k-mik-(GA10)3 copolymer. However, enhanced complexation is observed when the same number of ionisable GA units (30) are displayed on a linear macromolecular scaffold; mPEG2k-mik-(GA10)3 vs. mPEG2k-lin-GA30. Again complexation efficiency did not increase when the number of complexing polyGA branches were increased; mPEG2k-lin-GA30 vs. mPEG2k-mik-(GA30)3. Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) showed that the copolymer-protein complexes possessed hydrodynamic diameters in the 50-200 nm range, suggesting a degree of control in the assembly process. Sequestration of lysozyme within polymer complexes resulted in a decrease in its apparent enzymatic activity, which was re-established on the complexes dissociation upon a treatment with competitive complexant. Intrinsic fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) studies suggested structural conformation of the protein was not altered following complexation with mPEG2k-polyGA copolymers. Taken together, these resu

Ligand-mediated targeting and internalization of plasma membrane receptors is central to cellular function. These types of receptors have accordingly been investigated as targets to facilitate entry of diagnostic and therapeutic constructs into cells. However, there remains a need to characterize how receptor targeting agents on nanoparticles interact at surface receptors and whether it is possible to control these interactions via exogenous stimuli. Here, we describe the switchable display of the iron-transporting protein, transferrin (Tf), at the surface of thermoresponsive polymer-coated gold nanoparticles, and show that internalization of the coated nanoparticles into target cells changes across temperature ranges over which transferrin is expected to be sterically ‘hidden’ by an extended polymer chain and then ‘revealed’ by polymer chain collapse. The switching process is dependent on the numbers of transferrin molecules and thermoresponsive polymer chains attached, and whether the assay temperature is above or below the transition temperatures of the responsive polymers at the nanoparticle surfaces. Significantly, however, the control of internalization is critically reliant on overall nanoparticle colloidal stability while the thermoresponsive component of the surface undergoes conformational change. The data show that the cell entry function of complex and large biomolecule ligands can be modulated by polymer-induced accessibility change, but that a simple ‘hide and reveal’ mechanism for ligand display following polymer chain collapse is insufficient to account for nanoparticle uptake and subsequent intracellular trafficking.

In the treatment of lung cancer, there is an urgent need of innovative medicines to optimize pharmacological responses of conventional chemotherapeutics while attenuating side effects. Here, we have exploited some relatively unexplored subtle differences in reduction potential, associated with cancer cell microenvironments in addition to the well-known changes in intracellular redox environment. We report the synthesis and application of novel redox-responsive PLGA (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)) -PEG(polyethylene glycol) nanoparticles (RR-NPs) programmed to change surface properties when entering tumor microenvironments, thus enhance cell internalization of the particles and their drug cargo. The new co-polymers, in which PEG and PLGA were linked by ‘anchiomeric effector’ dithiylethanoate esters were synthesized by a combination of ring-opening polymerization and Michael addition reactions and employed to prepare NPs. Non redox-responsive nanoparticles (nRR-NPs) based on related PLGA-PEG copolymers were also prepared as comparators. Spherical NPs of around 120 nm diameter with a low polydispersity index and negative zeta potentials as well as good drug loading of docetaxel were obtained. The NPs showed prolonged stability in relevant simulated biological fluids and a high ability to penetrate an artificial mucus layer due to the presence of the external PEG coating. Stability, FRET and drug release studies in conditions simulating intracellular reductive environments demonstrated a fast disassembly of the external shell of the NPs, thus triggering on-demand drug release. FACS measurements and confocal microscopy showed increased and faster uptake of RR-NPs in both 2D- and 3D- cell culture models of lung cancer compared to nRR-NPs. In particular, the ‘designed-in’ reductive instability of RR-NPs in conditioned cell media, the fast PEG release in the extracellular compartment, as well as a diminution of uptake rate in control experiments where extracellular thiols we

The self‐assembly of specific polymers into well‐defined nanoparticles (NPs) is of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry as the resultant materials can act as drug delivery vehicles. In this work, a high‐throughput method to screen the ability of polymers to self‐assemble into NPs using a picoliter inkjet printer is presented. By dispensing polymer solutions in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) from the printer into the wells of a 96‐well plate, containing water as an antisolvent, 50 suspensions are screened for nanoparticle formation rapidly using only nanoliters to microliters. A variety of polymer classes are used and in situ characterization of the submicroliter nanosuspensions shows that the particle size distributions match those of nanoparticles made from bulk suspensions. Dispensing organic polymer solutions into well plates via the printer is thus shown to be a reproducible and fast method for screening nanoparticle formation which uses two to three orders of magnitude less material than conventional techniques. Finally, a pilot study for a high‐throughput pipeline of nanoparticle production, physical property characterization, and cytocompatibility demonstrates the feasibility of the printing approach for screening of nanodrug delivery formulations. Nanoparticles are produced in the well plates, characterized for size and evaluated for effects on metabolic activity of lung cancer cells.

Non-covalent polymer-protein conjugation is emerging as a potential route to improve pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of protein therapeutics. In this study, a family of structurally related block copolymers of mPEG2k - poly(glutamic acid) with linear A-B (mPEG2k-lin-polyGA) and miktoarm A-B3 ((mPEG2k-mik-(polyGA)3) structure was synthesised by N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) ring-opening polymerisation to assess the effect of macromolecular topology of the copolymers on polymer-protein complexation. The data illustrate that the synthesised copolymers are capable of complexing a model protein, lysozyme, at optimal pH conditions through non-covalent interactions, with complexation efficiencies depending on the copolymers composition and molecular architecture. In native gel electrophoresis experiments, linear mPEG2k-lin-GA10 copolymer, possessing a short polyanionic polyGA block, shows a low level of complexation, which does not change when the number of polyGA branches of the same size is increased, using a miktoarm mPEG2k-mik-(GA10)3 copolymer. However, enhanced complexation is observed when the same number of ionisable GA units (30) are displayed on a linear macromolecular scaffold; mPEG2k-mik-(GA10)3 vs. mPEG2k-lin-GA30. Again complexation efficiency did not increase when the number of complexing polyGA branches were increased; mPEG2k-lin-GA30 vs. mPEG2k-mik-(GA30)3. Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) showed that the copolymer-protein complexes possessed hydrodynamic diameters in the 50-200 nm range, suggesting a degree of control in the assembly process. Sequestration of lysozyme within polymer complexes resulted in a decrease in its apparent enzymatic activity, which was re-established on the complexes dissociation upon a treatment with competitive complexant. Intrinsic fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) studies suggested structural conformation of the protein was not altered following complexation with mPEG2k-polyGA copolymers. Taken together, these resu

The self‐assembly of specific polymers into well‐defined nanoparticles (NPs) is of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry as the resultant materials can act as drug delivery vehicles. In this work, a high‐throughput method to screen the ability of polymers to self‐assemble into NPs using a picoliter inkjet printer is presented. By dispensing polymer solutions in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) from the printer into the wells of a 96‐well plate, containing water as an antisolvent, 50 suspensions are screened for nanoparticle formation rapidly using only nanoliters to microliters. A variety of polymer classes are used and in situ characterization of the submicroliter nanosuspensions shows that the particle size distributions match those of nanoparticles made from bulk suspensions. Dispensing organic polymer solutions into well plates via the printer is thus shown to be a reproducible and fast method for screening nanoparticle formation which uses two to three orders of magnitude less material than conventional techniques. Finally, a pilot study for a high‐throughput pipeline of nanoparticle production, physical property characterization, and cytocompatibility demonstrates the feasibility of the printing approach for screening of nanodrug delivery formulations. Nanoparticles are produced in the well plates, characterized for size and evaluated for effects on metabolic activity of lung cancer cells.

In the treatment of lung cancer, there is an urgent need of innovative medicines to optimize pharmacological responses of conventional chemotherapeutics while attenuating side effects. Here, we have exploited some relatively unexplored subtle differences in reduction potential, associated with cancer cell microenvironments in addition to the well-known changes in intracellular redox environment. We report the synthesis and application of novel redox-responsive PLGA (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)) -PEG(polyethylene glycol) nanoparticles (RR-NPs) programmed to change surface properties when entering tumor microenvironments, thus enhance cell internalization of the particles and their drug cargo. The new co-polymers, in which PEG and PLGA were linked by ‘anchiomeric effector’ dithiylethanoate esters were synthesized by a combination of ring-opening polymerization and Michael addition reactions and employed to prepare NPs. Non redox-responsive nanoparticles (nRR-NPs) based on related PLGA-PEG copolymers were also prepared as comparators. Spherical NPs of around 120 nm diameter with a low polydispersity index and negative zeta potentials as well as good drug loading of docetaxel were obtained. The NPs showed prolonged stability in relevant simulated biological fluids and a high ability to penetrate an artificial mucus layer due to the presence of the external PEG coating. Stability, FRET and drug release studies in conditions simulating intracellular reductive environments demonstrated a fast disassembly of the external shell of the NPs, thus triggering on-demand drug release. FACS measurements and confocal microscopy showed increased and faster uptake of RR-NPs in both 2D- and 3D- cell culture models of lung cancer compared to nRR-NPs. In particular, the ‘designed-in’ reductive instability of RR-NPs in conditioned cell media, the fast PEG release in the extracellular compartment, as well as a diminution of uptake rate in control experiments where extracellular thiols we

Ligand-mediated targeting and internalization of plasma membrane receptors is central to cellular function. These types of receptors have accordingly been investigated as targets to facilitate entry of diagnostic and therapeutic constructs into cells. However, there remains a need to characterize how receptor targeting agents on nanoparticles interact at surface receptors and whether it is possible to control these interactions via exogenous stimuli. Here, we describe the switchable display of the iron-transporting protein, transferrin (Tf), at the surface of thermoresponsive polymer-coated gold nanoparticles, and show that internalization of the coated nanoparticles into target cells changes across temperature ranges over which transferrin is expected to be sterically ‘hidden’ by an extended polymer chain and then ‘revealed’ by polymer chain collapse. The switching process is dependent on the numbers of transferrin molecules and thermoresponsive polymer chains attached, and whether the assay temperature is above or below the transition temperatures of the responsive polymers at the nanoparticle surfaces. Significantly, however, the control of internalization is critically reliant on overall nanoparticle colloidal stability while the thermoresponsive component of the surface undergoes conformational change. The data show that the cell entry function of complex and large biomolecule ligands can be modulated by polymer-induced accessibility change, but that a simple ‘hide and reveal’ mechanism for ligand display following polymer chain collapse is insufficient to account for nanoparticle uptake and subsequent intracellular trafficking.

Non-covalent polymer-protein conjugation is emerging as a potential route to improve pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of protein therapeutics. In this study, a family of structurally related block copolymers of mPEG2k - poly(glutamic acid) with linear A-B (mPEG2k-lin-polyGA) and miktoarm A-B3 ((mPEG2k-mik-(polyGA)3) structure was synthesised by N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) ring-opening polymerisation to assess the effect of macromolecular topology of the copolymers on polymer-protein complexation. The data illustrate that the synthesised copolymers are capable of complexing a model protein, lysozyme, at optimal pH conditions through non-covalent interactions, with complexation efficiencies depending on the copolymers composition and molecular architecture. In native gel electrophoresis experiments, linear mPEG2k-lin-GA10 copolymer, possessing a short polyanionic polyGA block, shows a low level of complexation, which does not change when the number of polyGA branches of the same size is increased, using a miktoarm mPEG2k-mik-(GA10)3 copolymer. However, enhanced complexation is observed when the same number of ionisable GA units (30) are displayed on a linear macromolecular scaffold; mPEG2k-mik-(GA10)3 vs. mPEG2k-lin-GA30. Again complexation efficiency did not increase when the number of complexing polyGA branches were increased; mPEG2k-lin-GA30 vs. mPEG2k-mik-(GA30)3. Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) showed that the copolymer-protein complexes possessed hydrodynamic diameters in the 50-200 nm range, suggesting a degree of control in the assembly process. Sequestration of lysozyme within polymer complexes resulted in a decrease in its apparent enzymatic activity, which was re-established on the complexes dissociation upon a treatment with competitive complexant. Intrinsic fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) studies suggested structural conformation of the protein was not altered following complexation with mPEG2k-polyGA copolymers. Taken together, these resu

In the treatment of lung cancer, there is an urgent need of innovative medicines to optimize pharmacological responses of conventional chemotherapeutics while attenuating side effects. Here, we have exploited some relatively unexplored subtle differences in reduction potential, associated with cancer cell microenvironments in addition to the well-known changes in intracellular redox environment. We report the synthesis and application of novel redox-responsive PLGA (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)) -PEG(polyethylene glycol) nanoparticles (RR-NPs) programmed to change surface properties when entering tumor microenvironments, thus enhance cell internalization of the particles and their drug cargo. The new co-polymers, in which PEG and PLGA were linked by ‘anchiomeric effector’ dithiylethanoate esters were synthesized by a combination of ring-opening polymerization and Michael addition reactions and employed to prepare NPs. Non redox-responsive nanoparticles (nRR-NPs) based on related PLGA-PEG copolymers were also prepared as comparators. Spherical NPs of around 120 nm diameter with a low polydispersity index and negative zeta potentials as well as good drug loading of docetaxel were obtained. The NPs showed prolonged stability in relevant simulated biological fluids and a high ability to penetrate an artificial mucus layer due to the presence of the external PEG coating. Stability, FRET and drug release studies in conditions simulating intracellular reductive environments demonstrated a fast disassembly of the external shell of the NPs, thus triggering on-demand drug release. FACS measurements and confocal microscopy showed increased and faster uptake of RR-NPs in both 2D- and 3D- cell culture models of lung cancer compared to nRR-NPs. In particular, the ‘designed-in’ reductive instability of RR-NPs in conditioned cell media, the fast PEG release in the extracellular compartment, as well as a diminution of uptake rate in control experiments where extracellular thiols we