Lysolipid-Inspired Amphiphilic Polymer Nanostructures: Implications for Drug Delivery

To move closer to the phospholipid bilayer resembling the chemical and physical structure, we present for the first time a lysolipid-inspired amphiphilic polymer, based on 2-[2-(methacryloyloxy)­ethyl dimethylammonium]­ethyl n-octyl phosphate (MOP), which can undergo inducing vesicle formation to form various nanostructures resembling lipid constructs. Small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron cryomicroscopy revealed that the wall thickness of the onionlike nanostructure was nearly equal to that of the phospholipid bilayers. With its ability to encapsulate and control the release of water-insoluble anticancer drugs, poly-MOP (pMOP) is a promising functional biomimetic lipid-associated system for medical applications.