<p>Žučne kiseline (ŽK) su strukturno raznoliki molekuli, koji pored uloge koju ostvaruju putem žuči, deluju i kao signalni molekuli i ostvaruju kako endokrina tako i parakrina dejstva. Činjenica da je do sada u terapijske svrhe primenjivana samo ursodeoksiholna kiselina (UDK), posledica je brojnih ograničenja u mogućnosti primene ostalih prirodnih ŽK, i ističe potrebu za otkrivanjem novih sintetskih ŽK i liganda. Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitivanje sintetske 12-monoketoholne kiseline (MK) i prirodne UDK u modelu holestaze i aloksanom izazvanog dijabetesa. Ispitivanja su vr&scaron;ena na pacovima soja Wistar. Analizirana je telesna masa, glikemija, pokazatelji jetrene funkcije (AST; ALT, &gamma;-GT, ukupni i direktni bilirubin), a iz homogenate jetre određen je intenzitet lipidne peroksidacije i aktivnost antioksidativnih enzima (CAT, GSH-Px, GSH-R, GSH-ST). Isečci tkiva jetre su histolo&scaron;ki obrađeni i bojeni hematoksilin-eozin metodom i histohemijskim metodama (retikulin, Mallory, Periodic Acid Schiff- Alcian Blue (PAS/AB)). Imunohistohemijski je ispitana proliferacija hepatocita (Ki-67), markeri apoptoze (p53, Bcl-2, Bcl-X, Bax) i ekspresija nuklearnog farnesoid X receptora (FXR). Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da ispitivane ŽK pomažu očuvanje telesne mase u holestazi i dijabetesu, i značajno snižavaju glikemiju kod dijabetičnih jedinki. Parametri jetrene funkcije u holestazi i dijabetesu su regulisani primenom MK i UDK. Obe ŽK u značajnoj meri smanjuju intenzitet lipidne peroksidacije i pojačavaju enzimsku antioksidativnu odbranu hepatocita u holestazi i dijabetesu. Ekspresija markera apoptoze nije značajno promenjena izazvanjem modela holestaze i dijabetesa, kao ni primenom ispitivanih ŽK. Nasuprot tome, izazivanje holestaze i dijabetesa značajno smanjuje proliferaciju hepatocita, dok primena MK i UDK poni&scaron;tava ovaj efekat i značajno povećava proliferaciju hepatocita. Hiperglikemija u aloksanskom dijabetesu nije dovela do pojačane ekspresije FXR. Izazivanje holestaze kod zdravih i dijabetičnih životinja dovelo je do porasta ekspresije FXR, koja je redukovana primenom MK i UDK. Na osnovu dobijenih rezultata može se zaključiti da sintetska 12-monoketoholna kiselina pokazuje slična hipoglikemijska, hepatoprotektivna i antioksidativna dejstva kao i prirodna ursodeoksiholna kiselina.</p> / <p>Bile acids (BAs) are structurally diverse molecules, which have theroles in the digestive system, which are exercised through the bile. Beside those, BAs act as a signaling molecules and achieve endocrine and paracrine effects. In addition to its own metabolism, bile acids modulate the metabolism of lipids and glucose. The fact that so far only ursodeoxycholic acid (UDC) is used for therapeutic purposes, speak clearly about of numerous limitations on the application of other natural BAs, and highlights the need to develop new synthetic Bas and ligands. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of synthetic 12-monoketocholic acid (MC) and natural bila acid UDC in the model of cholestasis and alloxan-induced diabetes. Tests were performed on male Wistar rats. We analyzed the body mass, glucose, liver function tests (AST, ALT, &gamma;-GT, total and direct bilirubin). Using liver tissue homogenates we determined intensity of lipid peroxidation (by concentration of malondilaldehyde) and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, GSH-Px, GSH -R, GSH-ST). Liver tissue were histologically processed and stained with hematoxylin-eosin method and histochemical methods (reticulin, Mallory, Periodic Acid Schiff- Alcian Blue (PAS / AB)). Imunohistochemical examination included hepatocyte proliferation (Ki-67), markers of apoptosis (p53, Bcl-2, Bcl-X, Bax), and expression of the nuclear farnesoid X receptor (FXR). Results of the research show that MC prevented decrease in body mass during cholestasis and diabetes, and significantly reduced glycemia in diabetic animals. The liver function tests in cholestasis and diabetes are normalised by MC and UDC aplication. Both BAs significantly reduce lipid peroxidation and enhance enzymatic antioxidant defense of hepatocytes in cholestasis and diabetes. The expression of markers of apoptosis was not significantly changed in models of cholestasis and diabetes, as well as the application of the tested BAs. In contrast, in cholestasis and diabetes model, the proliferation of hepatocytes was significantly reduced, while the use of MC and UDC reversed this effect and significantly increased the proliferation of hepatocytes. Hyperglycemia in alloxan-induced diabetes did not lead to overexpression of FXR. Induction of cholestasis in healthy and diabetic animals resulted in an increase in the expression of FXR, which is reduced by using the MK and the UDC. Based on these results we can conclude that a synthetic 12-monoketocholic acid shows similar hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects as natural ursodeoxycholic acid.</p>

<p>Gliklazid je jedan od najče&scaron;će kori&scaron;ćenih lekova u terapiji dijabetes melitusa tip 2. U poslednje vreme, utvrđeno je da gliklazid ispoljava i druge pozitivne farmakolo&scaron;ke efekte kao &scaron;to su imunomodulatorni i anti-koagulacioni efekti, ukazujući na njegovu potencijalnu primenu u terapiji dijabetes melitusa tip 1. Gliklazid se odlikuje varijabilnim stepenom apsorpcije nakon peroralne primene i iz tog razloga pretpostavlja se da bi tehnike njegove ciljane isporuke, kao &scaron;to je mikroinkapsulacija, mogle da dovedu do pobolj&scaron;anja njegove apsorpcije i njegove potencijalne primene u terapiji T1DM. Pokazano je da različite žučne kiseline, uključujući i holnu, imaju stabilizacione efekte u domenu primene mikrovezikula i kontrolisanog osobađanja lekova, te je moguće da bi njihov dodatak u mikrovezikularnu formulaciju gliklazida mogao dodatno da pobolj&scaron;a oslobađanje gliklazida, njegovu apsorpciju i antidijabetičke efekte. S tim u vezi, cilj ovog istraživanja je da se ispita hipoglikemijski efekat gliklazida primenjenog u obliku alginatnih mikrovezikula, sa ili bez dodatka holne kiseline na T1DM modelu pacova. Trideset &scaron;est pacova obolelih od T1DM indukovanog aloksanom i odgovarajuće zdrave kontrolne životinje su nasumično raspoređene u &scaron;est grupa (n=6) i tretirane jednokratnom dozom fiziolo&scaron;kog rastvora, suspenzijom gliklazida, gliklazidom u obliku alginatnih mikrovezikula, samo holnom kiselinom, i mikrovezikulama gliklazida sa ili baz dodatka holne kiseline. Uzorkovana je krv tokom 10 h nakon unete doze i merena je koncentracija glukoze u krvi I koncentracija gliklazida u serumu kori&scaron;ćenjem HPLC metode. Mikrovezikule gliklazida su ispoljile hipo-glikemijski efekat kod pacova obolelih od dijabetesa, uprkos njegovim smanjenim koncentracijama u serumu, dok je dodatak holne kiseline u mikrovezikularnu formulaciju smanjio hipoglikemijski efekat gliklazida. Ovo potvrđuje izostanak sinergističkog efekta između gliklazida i holne kiseline. Takođe, ni proces mikroinkapsulacije niti dodatak holne kiseline nisu doprineli pobolj&scaron;anju apsorpcije gliklazida, &scaron;to ukazuje na činjenicu da su njegovi hipoglikemijski efekti nezavisni od njegove apsorpcije i koncentracije u serumu. Stoga se može pretpostaviti da su hipoglikemijski efekti gliklazida pre pod uticajem crevno-metaboličke aktivacije nego ciljanog oslobađanja u digestivnom traktu sistemske apsorpcije. Mikrovezikule gliklazida ispoljavaju hipoglikemijski efekat kod pacova obolelih od T1DM nezavisno od insulina, te mogu imati potencijalnu primenu u terapiji T1DM. Ovaj rad su podržali: HORIZON 2020 MEDLEM projekat broj 690876; Projekat Sekretarijata naučnog i tehnolo&scaron;kog razvoja Vojvodine broj . 114-451-2072-/2016-02; Projekat Ministarstva obrazovanja, nauke i tehnolo&scaron;kog razvoja Republike Srbije broja 41012.</p> / <p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Author>mladen</o:Author> <o:Version>16.00</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> 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Chapter 1. An Overview of Bile Acid Science This chapter deals with an overview of bile acid science (cholanology) compiling elevant literature review, covering bile acid chemistry, biosynthesis, bile salt evolution, physiology and medicinal values. Figure 1. (a) Digestive system; (b) enterohepatic circulation and (c) cholic acid Bile acids are the end products of cholesterol metabolism, secreted in the liver and stored in the gall bladder (Figure 1). They are normally conjugated with glycine (75%) or taurine (25%). Because of their facially amphiphilic nature, bile salts tend to form micellar aggregates in aqueous solution. They have remarkable ability to transform lamellar array of lipids into mixed micelles. All primary bile acids seem to have three features in common: (1) They are major products of cholesterol metabolism; (ii) they are secreted into the bile largely in a conjugated form and (iii) the conjugates are membrane impermeable, water soluble, amphiphilic molecules. Recent advances in molecular biology have greatly accelerated the knowledge relating to the significance of bile salts in a number of physiological functions. The new role of bile salts as pheromones and ligands for nuclear hormone receptors has been discussed. Chapter 2. Pythocholic Acid: A Major Constituent of Python’s Bile and 16α-Hydroxycholic Acid: A Minor Constituent of Avian’s Bile The first chemical synthesis of pythocholic acid (major constituent of python’s bile) and 16α-Hydroxycholic acid (a minor constituent of avian’s bile) were accomplished starting from cholic acid with overall yields of 5.0% and 5.5%, respectively. A biomimetic remote functionalization strategy was utilized as a key step to achieve the selective chlorination at C-17. Dehydrochlorination of 17-chlorosteroid resulted in the Δ16 olefin. Hydroboration-oxidation of the Δ16 olefin followed by the selective oxidation of the pentol under TEMPO mediated oxidation resulted in an ε-lactone. Hydrolysis of the lactone using 5% KOH in MeOH furnished the 16α-Hydroxycholic acid. On the other hand, selective oxidation of 7-OH of the lactone was achieved using N-bromosuccinimide in acetone/H2O to yield the 7-keto lactone. The ketolactone when subjected to the Huang-Minlon modification of the Wolf-Kishner reduction furnished pythocholic acid. Pythocholic acid showed unusual aggregation behavior and high cholesterol solubilization ability, compared to other trihydroxy bile acids. Chapter 3. 16-Epi-pythocholic acid: An Unnatural Analogue of Pythocholic Acid The synthesis of 16-epi-pythocholic acid, an unnatural analogue of pythocholic acid, was accomplished starting from cholic acid. Cholic acid was converted to Δ8-14) olefin using ZnCl2 in refluxing acetone. Methylation followed by isomerization in CHCl3 by passing dry. HCl at -78 oC resulted in the Δ14 olefin. Allylic oxidation using Na2Cr2O7.2H2O in the presence of N-hydroxysuccinimide in acetone furnished the enone. Selective reduction of the olefin using Pd/C-H2 resulted in 16-Epi-pythocholic acid the 16-keto steroid. NaBH4 reduction of this ketone in MeOH/THF (2:1 v/v) followed by hydrolysis produced the 16-OH bile acid. Analysis of spectral data confirmed that it is a 16β-epimer of pythocholic acid (3α,12α,16β-trihydroxy-5β-cholan-24-oic acid). Critical micellar concentration and cholesterol solubilization properties were studied. Chapter 4. Low Molecular Mass Organogelators Derived from Simple Esters of Cholic Acid This chapter begins with an introduction to low molecular mass organogelators and highlights their applications. Serendipitous gelation of a number of organic solvents by allyl cholate and the design of related simple esters of cholic acid are discussed. A series of simple and easily accessible esters of bile acids were prepared. Ethyl cholate and propyl cholate were found to immobilize a variety of organic solvents like benzene, toluene, xylene, mesitylene, 1,2-dichlorbenzene (DCB) and chlorobenzene (Figure 2). The morphology of the xerogels was well characterized using SEM, AFM and polarizing optical microscopy (POM) techniques, Which revealed the presence of highly entangled self-assembled 3D-fibrillar network (SAFINs). The fiber diameter was found to vary between 300-500 nm. Direct imaging of the collapse of this fibrillar network and direct observation of the evolution of nanofibers was achieved for the first time using variable temperature POM techniques. FT-IR studies, X-ray powder diffraction and variable temperature POM studies revealed the resemblance of SAFINs to the bulk solid. Formation of helical fibrillar network was observed in SEM images and the existence of chiral aggregates was confirmed by induced circular dichroism experiment using achiral Reichardt’s dye as the chromophore. Chapter 5. Ambidextrous Gelators Derived from Spacer Linked Bile Acid Derivatives Based on our observation of simple esters of cholic acid as organogelators a rational design of a series of spacer linked dimers and tripodal derivatives were carried out. Some of these molecules formed highly transparent gels in solvents like haloarenes, anisole, xylene and dibromoalkanes. These molecules also showed rapid gelation in DMF/H2O and DMSO/H2O mixtures in varying proportions of water and the co-solvent. These types of gelators are known as ambidextrous gelators. The xerogels were characterized using SEM, TEM and POM techniques and the presence of highly entangled 3D-fibrillar network (Figure 3) was observed. XRPD showed crystalline nature of bulk solid, whereas the xerogels were shown to lose their crystalline nature. (For figures and structural formula pl see the pdf file.)

Le développement de composés permettant le passage de molécules à travers la membrane cellulaire constitue un domaine de grand intérêt de la chimie et de la biochimie. Certaines maladies, comme la fibrose kystique, sont le résultat d'un dysfonctionnement du transport d'ions chlorure et bicarbonate à travers la bicouche lipidique. Ces dernières années, de nouvelles familles de transporteurs synthétiques ont fait leur apparition comme solution de remplacement aux transporteurs naturels. Cependant, la synthèse de systèmes supramoléculaires permettant le transport de larges molécules de part et d’autre de la bicouche lipidique reste, quant à elle, un défi. Ainsi nous présentons dans cette thèse deux systèmes différents: l’un permettant le transport d’ions chlorures et le second capable de combiner transport anionique et transport de macrocycles biologiquement actifs. Dans un premier temps, nous avons étudié le potentiel ionophore d’un dérivé benzimidazole. Des études mécanistiques ont été menées sur le 2,4,7-triphénylbenzimidazole afin de déterminer son mode d’assemblage dans la membrane phospholipidique, responsable de son efficacité à transporter les anions. Basé sur ces résultats, des analogues de cette molécule possédant des sites de complexation métallique ont été synthétisés afin d’augmenter l’efficacité de ces transporteurs benzimidazole et de contrôler leur auto-assemblage. Ces complexes ont été testés dans des membranes bactériennes afin d’étudier leur capacité à inhiber la croissance des bactéries et à diminuer la tolérance d’une souche bactérienne résistante envers les antibiotiques. Dans le second volet de cette thèse, nous avons étudié l’utilisation de dérivés parapluies capables de changer de conformation dépendamment de la polarité du solvant, pour le transport d’anions et de macrocycles. La synthèse et la caractérisation d’un nouvel axe et son dimère parapluie sont rapportées dans cette partie. Leur capacité à transporter les anions à travers la membrane des liposomes ou leur insertion dans des membranes bactériennes ont été étudiées. Les premiers essais de synthèses de rotaxanes à partir de ces dérivés parapluies pour le transport de macrocycle biologiquement actif sont rapportés. / The development of compounds able to transport molecules through cellular membranes is an emerging area of chemistry and biochemistry. Several diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, are the result of a dysfunction of chloride and bicarbonate transport across cellular membranes. In the last few years, new families of synthetic transmembrane transporters were developed in order to restore chloride transport. However, the synthesis of supramolecular systems for the transport of large molecules from one side to the other one of the lipid bilayer remains a challenge. Herein we present two different systems: one for chloride transport and a second one that combines the transport of ions and biologically active macrocycles through cellular membranes. We first present the anionophoric potential of benzimidazole derivatives. Mechanistic studies were conducted on 2,4,7-triphenylbenzimidazole to determine its self-assembly in a phospholipid membrane and its capacity to transport anions. Two analogues possessing metal coordination sites were also developed and studied for their anion transport properties, as well for the formation of metal-organic assemblies. These complexes were studied in bacterial membranes for their ability to inhibit bacterial growth and to reduce the tolerance of a resistant strain to antibiotics. In the second part of this thesis, we present the use of umbrella compounds that are able to change their conformation depending on the polarity of the environment. The synthesis and characterization of a new umbrella thread and its dimer are reported in this section. Their ability to transport anions through liposomal membranes or their insertion into more complex bacterial membranes are studied. The first attempts to assemble rotaxanes with the umbrella compounds and an active macrocycle are presented.

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Grâce à de récentes percées scientifiques, certains médiateurs clés dans divers états pathologiques ont été identifiés et de nouveaux composés thérapeutiques ont été développés pour les inhiber. Bien que très efficaces, ces composés possèdent souvent des propriétés physico-chimiques incompatibles avec celles du corps humain et deviennent, donc, difficiles à formuler. Au cours des dernières décennies, les systèmes de vectorisation de médicaments ont été étudiés comme une solution potentielle promettant une augmentation de la concentration du médicament au site d'action tout en atténuant les problèmes de stabilité et de solubilité. Plus particulièrement, les polymères ont démontré un succès en tant que matière première dans la conception de ces formulations. Cependant, un obstacle majeur à leur développement clinique est le faible niveau d’encapsulation du principe actif. Afin de remédier à cette limitation, les travaux présentés dans cette thèse se sont concentrés sur l'utilisation de copolymères blocs en forme d'étoile et à base d'acide cholique pour faciliter l'encapsulation. Divers principes actifs aux propriétés physico-chimiques variables ont été encapsulés dans nos systèmes polymères, témoignant ainsi de leur grande efficacité et ceci à travers une large gamme de médicaments. Dans un premier temps, les propriétés physico-chimiques de notre système ont été étudiées. Les copolymères bloc sont composés d'un noyau d'acide cholique (CA) sur lequel le poly (allyl glycidyl éther) (PAGE) et le poly (éthylène glycol) (PEG) sont polymérisées séquentiellement pour donner lieu au CA-(PAGE-b-PEG)4 amphiphiles à quatre branches. De plus, le bloc PAGE a été fonctionnalisé pour porter des groupements amines primaires. Les effets de la longueur du bloc PEG et des groupements amines sur le comportement thermosensible des polymères dans l'eau ont été examinés. Cette thermosensibilité a aussi été étudiée en présence de diverses concentrations de sels. Il a été découvert que l'augmentation de la longueur du PEG augmente la température du point de trouble. De même, la fonctionnalisation des blocs PAGE pour porter des groupements amines a augmenté le point de trouble en l'absence de sel, mais a significativement diminué en présence de sel. Cette observation a été attribuée au « salting-out » des polymères. Dans un second temps, employée comme un médicament hydrophobe modèle, la doxorubicine (Dox) a été encapsulée à l’aide de nos copolymères blocs CA-(PAGE-b-PEG)4. Dans ce cas, les interactions polymère-médicament régissant l’encapsulation de la Dox ont été étudiées. Plus précisément, les interactions hydrophobes et électrostatiques ont été comparées pour leur influence sur la charge de médicament à l'intérieur des copolymères blocs. Une charge élevée de Dox a été obtenue à l’aide des interactions électrostatiques par rapport aux interactions hydrophobes avec ou sans la présence d'acide oléique comme co-tensioactif. De plus, les interactions électrostatiques conféraient au système de relargage une réactivité au pH permettant ainsi un relargage de la Dox en présence d’un pH acide. Les copolymères blocs ont présenté une bonne biocompatibilité lors d’essai in vitro. Les nouveaux copolymères blocs en étoile et à base d'acide cholique ont montré un grand potentiel en tant que vecteurs de relargage de médicaments pour l’encapsulation de la Dox. Pour démontrer l’étendue de l’application de notre système, des petits acides ribonucléiques interférant (pARNi) ont été encapsulés à l’aide des copolymères blocs CA-(PAGE-b-PEG)4 où le PAGE a été fonctionnalisé pour porter des groupements amines. Les pARNi sont des composés thérapeutiques hydrophiles chargés négativement et nécessitant une méthodologie d’encapsulation différente de celle utilisée pour la Dox. Les groupements allyles du bloc PAGE ont été fonctionnalisés pour porter des amines primaires ou tertiaires. Également, l'acide folique a été greffé sur l'extrémité de la chaîne PEG pour augmenter l'absorption cellulaire. Les (CA-PAGE-b-PEG)4 fonctionnalisés avec des amines primaires ou tertiaires ont présenté une forte complexation des pARNi. Des agrégats micellaires uniformes ont ainsi été obtenus. De plus, des lipides ont été ajoutés comme co-tensioactifs pour aider à stabiliser les nanoparticules dans les milieux de culture cellulaire. Ces systèmes micellaires mixtes avaient une charge élevée de pARNi et une absorption cellulaire améliorée avec une augmentation concomitante de la transfection des pARNi dans des cellules modèles de HeLa et HeLa-GFP, respectivement. Les résultats présentés dans cette thèse témoignent du grand potentiel de l'utilisation de copolymères blocs en forme d'étoile et à base d'acide cholique dans la conception de systèmes de vectorisation de médicaments. Ces résultats offrent des conclusions pertinentes sur les différents paramètres clés contrôlant l’efficacité des systèmes de vectorisation des médicaments à base de polymères pouvant être traduits dans d'autres systèmes. Les stratégies développées ici aideront grandement au développement des systèmes de vectorisation de médicaments et accéléreront potentiellement leur évolution vers la clinique. / Recent scientific breakthroughs have fostered the identification of key mediators of various diseased states while permitting the development of novel therapeutic compounds to address them. Although very potent, these compounds often possess physico-chemical properties that are incompatible with those of the human body and are becoming increasingly difficult to formulate. In the recent decades, drug delivery systems have been studied as a potential solution in the formulation of these therapeutic compounds promising improved accumulation at the site of action while mitigating issues of stability and solubility. Most notably, polymers have shown tremendous success as starting material in the design of these drug formulations. However, one major hurdle curtailing their clinical translatability is their low drug loading levels. In an effort to address this limitation, the work presented in this thesis focused on the use of cholic acid-based star-shaped block copolymers for the encapsulation of active pharmaceutical ingredients with varying physico-chemical properties thereby demonstrating their successful application to a broad range of compounds. First, the physico-chemical properties of our proposed system were studied. The block copolymers are composed of a cholic acid (CA) core onto which poly(allyl glycidyl ether) (PAGE) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) are polymerized sequentially to afford an amphiphilic CA-(PAGE-b-PEG)4 with four branches. The PAGE block was further functionalized to bear pendant amine groups. The effects of PEG length and of the amine groups on the thermoresponsive behavior of the polymers in water at various salt concentrations were examined. It was discovered that increasing the length of PEG increases the cloud point temperature. Similarly, functionalizing the PAGE blocks to bear pendant amine groups increased the cloud point in the absence of salt, but significantly decreased the cloud point in the presence of salt. This observation was attributed to the salting-out of the polymers. Acting as a model hydrophobic drug, doxorubicin (Dox) was first encapsulated using our proposed CA-(PAGE-b-PEG)4 block copolymers. In this case, the polymer-drug interactions driving the loading of Dox was studied. Specifically, hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions were compared for their influence on the drug loading inside the block copolymers. A high loading of Dox was achieved vis electrostatic interactions compared to hydrophobic interactions with or without the presence of oleic acid as a cosurfactant. Also, the electrostatic interactions conferred a pH responsiveness to the system where the Dox remained encapsulated at physiological pH but was released in acidic pH. The block copolymers displayed good biocompatibility in vitro. The new functionalized star block copolymers based on cholic acid showed great potential as drug delivery carriers for the loading of Dox. To demonstrate the widespread application of our proposed system, small interfering RNA (siRNA) was loading using the CA-(PAGE-b-PEG)4 block copolymers where PAGE was functionalized with amine. siRNA is a hydrophilic, negatively charged therapeutic compound necessitating a different loading methodology than that used for Dox. The allyl groups of PAGE were functionalized to bear primary or tertiary amines and folic acid was grafted onto the PEG chain end to increase cell uptake. (CA-PAGE-b-PEG)4 functionalized with either primary or tertiary amines show high siRNA complexation. Uniform micellar aggregates were obtained. Lipids were added as co-surfactants to help stabilize the nanoparticles in the cell culture media. The mixed micelles had high siRNA loading and improved cell uptake with a concomitant increase in siRNA transfection in HeLa and HeLa-GFP model cells, respectively. The results presented in this thesis, demonstrate the feasibility of using cholic acid-based star-shaped block copolymers in the design of drug delivery systems and offers insights into key parameters controlling their efficacy which can be translated to other polymer-based systems. The strategies developed herein will greatly aid in the development of drug delivery systems and potentially accelerate their progress into the clinic.