Controlled self-aggregation of c60-anchored multiarmed polyacrylic acids and their cytotoxicity evaluation

A study was conducted to demonstrate a novel synthesis route for the water-dispersible fullerene (C60)-anchored starburst anionic poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). The novel synthesis route revealed significant photoinduced charge transfer between cationic porphyrin and these polymers in aqueous solution. The study also examined the self-aggregated behaviors of C60-anchored 2-, 4-, and 8-armed PAA in water and evaluated the cytotoxic properties prior to gene or drug delivery using the novel C 60-anchored PAA as a carrier. The self-assembly behaviors of water-soluble C60-anchored 2-, 4-, and 8-armed PAA, composed of hydrophilic PAA arms and hydrophobic C60 core were also examined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) method using aqueous solution as the mobile phase. The chromatogram of C60-anchored 2-armed PAA exhibited two distinct peaks centered at 6.4 and 7.8 cm3 where the second peak was close to the peak of 2-armed PAA prepolymer.