A　cyclodextrin-containing　pH-responsive　star　polymer,　with　cyclodextrin　polymer　and　pH-sensitive　poly　(2-(dimethylamino)　ethyl　methacrylate)　as　the　core　and　poly(ethylene　glycol)　as　the　arm,　was　evaluated　as　drug　carriers　in　vitro　and　in　vivo.　Doxorubicin　(DOX)　was　successfully　loaded　into　the　star　polymer　to　form　nanoparticles　(DOX-NPs)　via　host-guest　interaction.　The　physicochemical　properties　such　as　drug　loading　content,　size,　morphology,　stability　and　physical　state　of　DOX-NPs　were　characterized　in　detail　by　H-1　NMR,　DLS,　SEM　and　DSC.　Uniform　and　stable　DOX-NPs　with　high　encapsulation　efficiency　of　77.1%　were　obtained,　and　they　also　exhibited　sustainable　and　controllable　release　of　DOX　in　vitro.　The　cellular　uptake　of　DOX-NPs　was　in　concentration-,　time-and　cell　type-dependent　manners,　and　the　cytotoxicity　of　DOX-NPs　was　significantly　high　toward　HeLa　and　HepG2　cancer　cells.　Furthermore,　in　vivo　anti-tumor　experiment　on　BALB/c　mice　bearing　cervical　tumor　showed　that　DOX-NPs　could　effectively　suppress　the　growth　of　tumor　without　significant　side　effect.　These　findings　suggest　that　the　cyclodextrin-containing　pH-responsive　star　polymer　has　a　promising　potential　in　developing　novel　drug　delivery　system　for　cancer　therapy.　(c)　2014　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.