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Star polymers with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) arms and a degradable cationic core were synthesized by the atom transfer radical copolymerization (ATRP) of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate macromonomer (PEGMA), 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), and a disulfide dimethacrylate (cross-linker, SS) via an "arm-first" approach. The star polymers had a diameter ~15 nm and were degraded under redox conditions by glutathione treatment into individual polymeric chains due to cleavage of the disulfide cross-linker, as confirmed by dynamic light scattering. The star polymers were cultured with mouse calvarial preosteoblast-like cells, embryonic day 1, subclone 4 (MC3T3-E1.4) to determine biocompatibility. Data suggest star polymers were biocompatible, with ≥ 80% cell viability after 48 h of incubation even at high concentration (800 μg/mL). Zeta potential values varied with N/P ratio confirming complexation with siRNA. Successful cellular uptake of the star polymers in MC3T3-E1.4 cells was observed by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry after 24 h of incubation.

The development of minimally invasive therapeutics for orthopedic clinical conditions has substantial benefits, especially for osteoporotic fragility fractures and vertebral compression fractures. Poly(ester urethane)urea (PEUUR) foams are potentially useful for addressing these conditions because they cure in situ upon injection to form porous scaffolds. In this study, the effects of water concentration and polyester triol composition on the physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties of PEUUR foams were investigated. A liquid resin (lysine diisocyanate) and hardener (poly(epsilon-caprolactone-co-glycolide-co-DL-lactide) triol, tertiary amine catalyst, anionic stabilizer, and fatty acid-derived pore opener) were mixed, and the resulting reactive liquid mixture was injected into a mold to harden. By varying the water content over the range of 0.5 to 2.75 parts per hundred parts polyol, materials with porosities ranging from 89.1 to 95.8 vol-% were prepared. Cells permeated the PEUUR foams after 21 days post-seeding, implying that the pores are open and interconnected. In vitro, the materials yielded non-cytotoxic decomposition products, and differences in the half-life of the polyester triol component translated to differences in the PEUUR foam degradation rates. We anticipate that PEUUR foams will present compelling opportunities for the design of new tissue-engineered scaffolds and delivery systems because of their favorable biological and physical properties.