pH-Responsive PDMS‑<i>b</i>‑PDMAEMA Micelles for Intracellular Anticancer Drug Delivery Anja Car Patric Baumann Jason T. Duskey Mohamed Chami Nico Bruns Wolfgang Meier 10.1021/bm500919z.s001 https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/pH_Responsive_PDMS_i_b_i_PDMAEMA_Micelles_for_Intracellular_Anticancer_Drug_Delivery/2256955 A series of poly­(dimethysiloxane)-<i>b</i>-poly­(2-(dimethylamino)­ethyl methacrylate) (PDMS-<i>b</i>-PDMAEMA) block copolymers were synthesized with atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). In aqueous solution the polymers self-assembled into micelles with diameters between 80 and 300 nm, with the ability to encapsulate DOX. The polymer with the shortest PDMAEMA block (5 units) displayed excellent cell viability, while micelles containing longer PDMAEMA block lengths (13 and 22 units) led to increased cytotoxicity. The carriers released DOX in response to a decrease in pH from 7.4 to 5.5. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed that nanoparticles were taken up by endocytosis into acidic cell compartments. Furthermore, DOX-loaded nanocarriers exhibited intracellular pH-response as changes in cell morphology and drug release were observed within 24 h. 2014-09-08 00:00:00 DOX PDMAEMA drug release Intracellular Anticancer Drug DeliveryA series CLSM 300 nm 24 h micelle ATRP block copolymers PDMS 22 units atom transfer cell viability cell morphology 5.5. Confocal laser scanning microscopy acidic cell compartments