Constructing Polycarbonate-Based Oxidation-Responsive Polymersome Nanoreactors with Tunable Biocatalysis

Polymersomes, often called polymeric vesicles, have attracted widespread research interests in many fields, including nanomedicine, biocatalysis, and cell mimics. One of the existing issues encountered in the application of polymersomes lies in their poor membrane permeability. Herein, we report the construction of polycarbonate-based oxidation-responsive polymersome nanoreactors featuring tunable biocatalysis. The polymersomes are composed of hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and hydrophobic thiomorpholine-containing polycarbonates. In the presence of oxidative stimulation, e.g., hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), the thiomorpholine moieties can be oxidized to hydrophilic sulfoxide units, giving rise to a significant enhancement of polymersome permeability, which is confirmed by the oxidation-induced cargo release. Moreover, such an oxidation-responsive polymersome system can be exploited to encapsulate enzymes to serve as nanoreactors, demonstrating regulated biocatalysis performance by modulating oxidation levels. We expect that integrating biodegradable and biocompatible polycarbonate-based polymers into oxidation-responsive nanoreactors will provide a promising approach for the construction of artificial cells or organelles.