LAUSR

Herein we develop a novel multicompartment nanoparticles (MCNs) that combine high stability and cargo loading capacity. The MCNs were fabricated by crystallization-driven self-assembly (CDSA) of a tailor-made 21 arm star polymer, poly(L -lactide)[poly(tert-buty acrylate)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)]20 [PLLA(PtBA-b-PEG)20 ]. Platelet-like or spherical MCNs containing a crystalline PLLA core and hydrophobic PtBA subdomains were formed and stabilized by PEG. Hydrophobic cargos, such as Nile Red and chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin, can be successfully encapsulated into the collapsed PtBA subdomains with loading capacity two orders of magnitude higher than traditional CDSA nanoparticles. Depolarised fluorescence measurements of the Nile Red loaded MCNs suggests that the free volume of the hydrophobic chains in the nanoparticles may be the key to regulate their drug loading capacity. In vitro study of the MCNs suggest excellent cytocompatibility of the blank nanoparticles as well as a dose-dependent cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of the drug-loaded MCNs. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.