{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T03:52:51Z","timestamp":1789617171446,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,3,9]],"date-time":"2023-03-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1678320000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"University of Leicester"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are linked to tumour relapse and metastasis, the main reason for cancer-related deaths. The application of polymeric nanoparticles as drug delivery systems to target CSCs is relatively unexplored. Here, we report the encapsulation of a CSC-potent copper(II) complex 1 by two compositionally different methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PEG\u2013PLGA) copolymers. Specifically, we used PEG\u2013PLGA (5000:10,000 Da, 1:1 LA:GA) and PEG\u2013PLGA (5000:10,000 Da, 4:1 LA:GA) polymers to prepare spherical nanoparticle formulations 1:1 NP15 and 4:1 NP15, respectively, both with a 15% feed of 1. The two formulations show distinct biophysical and in vitro properties. For example, (i) 4:1 NP15 displays a slower payload release profile than 1:1 NP15 in physiologically relevant solutions, (ii) 4:1 NP15 exhibits statistically greater potency towards breast CSCs than bulk breast cancer cells grown in monolayers, whereas 1:1 NP15 is equally potent towards breast CSCs and bulk breast cancer cells, and (iii) 4:1 NP15 shows significantly greater potency towards three-dimensionally cultured mammospheres than 1:1 NP15. This study shows that the release profile and anti-breast CSC properties of PEG\u2013PLGA nanoparticle formulations (containing 1) can be perturbed (and possibly controlled) by modifying the proportion of glycolic acid within the PLGA component.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules28062506","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,3,10]],"date-time":"2023-03-10T02:05:54Z","timestamp":1678413954000},"page":"2506","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Payload Release Profile and Anti-Cancer Stem Cell Properties of Compositionally Different Polymeric Nanoparticles Containing a Copper(II) Complex"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"28","author":[{"given":"Ginevra","family":"Passeri","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Chemistry, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Joshua","family":"Northcote-Smith","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Chemistry, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kogularamanan","family":"Suntharalingam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Chemistry, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,3,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"133","DOI":"10.1038\/nrc3184","article-title":"Cancer stem cells: An evolving concept","volume":"12","author":"Nguyen","year":"2012","journal-title":"Nat. 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