Effects of Doxorubicin on the Liquid-Liquid Phase Change Properties of Elastin-Like Polypeptides

The Lower Critical Solution Temperature (LCST) of the thermo-responsive engineered Elastin-Like Polypeptides (ELP) biopolymer is being exploited for the thermal targeted delivery of Doxorubicin (Dox) to solid tumors. We examine the impact of Dox labeling on the thermodynamic and hydrodynamic behavior of an ELP drug carrier and how Dox influences the liquid-liquid phase change. Turbidity, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) measurements show that ELP undergoes a cooperative liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) from a soluble to insoluble coacervated state that is enhanced by Dox labeling.

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