Fig. 2. Characterization, thermal sensitivity, and leukocyte targeting ability of ES-DSM.

a Chemical structure of NTA-PEG-p-(AAm-co-AN). b ¹H-NMR spectra of NTA-PEG-p-(AAm-co-AN) and the characteristic peaks were marked by rectangles. -O-CH₂-CH₂-: 3.6 ppm, -CONH₂: 6.7–7.9 ppm, -COOH: 11.5–12.5 ppm. c The transmittance of p-(AAm-co-AN) aqueous solution (2 mg/mL) at different temperatures. d Critical micelle concentration (CMC) of NTA-PEG-p-(AAm-co-AN). e TEM images of blank micelles at different temperatures. f Hydrodynamic size and zeta potential of DSM and ES-DSM (n = 3 independent experiments). g TEM image of ES-DSM at 25 °C. h Hydrodynamic sizes of blank micelles, DSM and ES-DSM after incubation at different temperatures for 10 min (n = 3 independent experiments). The thermal-sensitive in vitro release behavior of i SCH and j DOX from ES-DSM at 37 or 43 °C (n = 3 independent experiments). k–l Flow cytometry analysis of leukocytes fluorescence in blood after the intravenous injection of DSM or ES-DSM for different times (n = 3 mice). Positive percentage of leukocytes in (k) was calculated based on (l). m Confocal microscopy images of leukocytes 24 h after the intravenous injection of DSM or ES-DSM. Leukocytes have nuclear morphology characteristic of neutrophils (right), monocytes (center), and lymphocytes (right). DSM: DOX and SCH co-loaded micelles; ES-DSM: E-selectin-modified co-loaded micelles. Data are presented as mean values ± SEM, and the mean value is the average of three independent experiments. Unpaired two-tailed T test was performed in (f), (h), (i), (j), and (k). The experiments in (e), (g), and (m) were repeated independently for three times with similar results. Source data are provided as a Source data file.