Synthesis of a Multifunctional Glyco-Block Copolymer through Reversible Addition–Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization and Click Chemistry for Enzyme and Drug Loading into MDA-MB-231 Cells

Reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization has been used in various applications such as preparing nanoparticles, stimulus-responsive polymers, and hydrogels. In this study, the combination of this polymerization method and Cu(I)-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition click chemistry was used to prepare the multifunctional glyco-diblock copolymer P(PEG-co-AM)-b-PF, which is composed of mannosides for cell targeting, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) for biocompatibility, and aryl–aldehyde moieties for enzyme immobilization. The alkyne group in the polymer structure enables the alternation for other azide-conjugated monomers. The stepwise synthesis of the polymers was fully characterized. P(PEG-co-AM)-b-PFwas self-assembled into polymeric nanoparticles (BDOX-GOx@NPs) for glucose oxidase immobilization through Schiff base formation and for encapsulating the prodrug of arylboronate-linked doxorubicin (BA-DOX) under optimal conditions. Glucose oxidase in BDOX-GOx@NPscatalyzes glucose oxidation to produce gluconic acid and H2O2, which cause oxidative stress. Glucose oxidase also consumes glucose, causing starvation in cancer cells. The produced H2O2can selectively activate the anticancer prodrug BA-DOX for chemotherapy. In vitrodata indicate that GOx and the prodrug BA-DOX present inside BDOX-GOx@NPsexhibit higher stability than free glucose oxidase with a favorable active DOX release profile. MDA-MB-231 cells, which express mannose receptors, were used to establish a model in this study. The bioactivity of the nanoplatform in the two- and three-dimensional models of MDA-MB-231 cancer cells was investigated to ascertain its antitumor efficacy.