Fine-tuning the pH trigger of self-assembly

Self-assembling injectable peptide hydrogels for emerging treatment of ischemic stroke

Ischaemic stroke remains one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, without any long-term effective treatments targeted at regeneration. This has led to developments of novel, biomaterial-based strategies using self-assembling peptide hydrogels.

Supramolecular self-assembly of fluorescent peptide amphiphiles for accurate and reversible pH measurement

We report the synthesis and self-assembly of fluorescent peptide amphiphiles (NBD-PA) composed of a fluorescent NBD probe and a peptide derivative VVAADD with a C₁₂-alkyl-chain as the linker (NBD-C₁₂-VVAADD).

Peptide-based nanoprobes for molecular imaging and disease diagnostics

Pathological changes in a diseased site are often accompanied by abnormal activities of various biomolecules in and around the involved cells. Identifying the location and expression levels of these biomolecules could enable early-stage diagnosis of the related disease, the design of an appropriate treatment strategy, and the accurate assessment of the treatment outcomes. Over the past two decades, a great diversity of peptide-based nanoprobes (PBNs) have been developed, aiming to improve the in vitro and in vivo performances of water-soluble molecular probes through engineering of their primary chemical structures as well as the physicochemical properties of their resultant assemblies. In this review, we introduce strategies and approaches adopted for the identification of functional peptides in the context of molecular imaging and disease diagnostics, and then focus our discussion on the design and construction of PBNs capable of navigating through physiological barriers for targeted delivery and improved specificity and sensitivity in recognizing target biomolecules. We highlight the biological and structural roles that low-molecular-weight peptides play in PBN design and provide our perspectives on the future development of PBNs for clinical translation.

Direct Synthesis of a Covalently Self-Assembled Peptide Nanogel from a Tyrosine-Rich Peptide Monomer and Its Biomineralized Hybrids

There has been significant progress in the self-assembly of biological materials, but the one-step covalent peptide self-assembly for well-defined nanostructures is still in its infancy. Inspired by the biological functions of tyrosine, a covalently assembled fluorescent peptide nanogel is developed by a ruthenium-mediated, one-step photo-crosslinking of tyrosine-rich short peptides under the visible light within 6 minutes. The covalently assembled peptide nanogel is stable in various organic solvents and different pH levels, unlike those made from vulnerable non-covalent assemblies. The semipermeable peptide nanogel with a high density of redox-active tyrosine acts as a novel nano-bioreactor, allowing the formation of uniform metal-peptide hybrids by selective biomineralization under UV irradiation. As such, this peptide nanogel could be useful in the design of novel nanohybrids and peptidosomes possessing functional nanomaterials.

Dual Role of a Fluorescent Peptidyl Probe Based on Self-Assembly for the Detection of Heparin and for the Inhibition of the Heparin-Digestive Enzyme Reaction

The detection of fluorescent probes for biomolecules and control of the function of a complex through a recognition process have not been investigated intensively. A fluorescent peptidyl probe (1) based on the self-assembly stimulated by heparin was synthesized. The fluorescent probe with an aggregation-induced emission fluorophore formed a self-assembling complex with heparin, resulting in a sensitive and selective turn-on response to heparin compared to its biological competitors. The detection limits for heparin were measured to be 138.0 pM (R² = 0.976) in aqueous solution and 2.6 nM (R² = 0.996) in aqueous solution containing human serum. Nanosized aggregates formed through the self-assembly of the complex showed potent resistance against the heparin-digestive enzyme. The dual role of the probe for the detection of heparin and the inhibition of heparinase-mediated digestion through the recognition process was used for the real-time monitoring of the enzyme activity of heparinase for the digestion of heparin. Furthermore, the dual role of the probe was applied for the detection of the oversulfated chondroitin sulfate contaminant in heparin.

Tuning the pH-Switch of Supramolecular Polymer Carriers for siRNA to Physiologically Relevant pH

The preparation of histidine enriched dendritic peptide amphiphiles and their self-assembly into multicomponent pH-switchable supramolecular polymers is reported. Alternating histidine and phenylalanine peptide synthons allow the assembly/disassembly to be adjusted in a physiologically relevant range of pH 5.3-6.0. Coassembly of monomers equipped with dendritic tetraethylene glycol chains with monomers bearing peripheral primary amine groups leads to nanorods with a tunable cationic surface charge density. These surface functional supramolecular polycations are able to reversibly bind short interfering RNA (siRNA). The nanorod-like supramolecular polymers, their complexation with siRNA, and the pH-triggered assembly/disassembly of the supramolecular carriers are characterized via circular dichroism spectroscopy, gel electrophoresis, as well as transmission electron microscopy. Multicomponent supramolecular polymers represent a modular and promising strategy for applications as responsive carrier vehicles, codelivery strategies, and gene therapy.

Nanodisc-to-Nanofiber Transition of Noncovalent Peptide-Phospholipid Assemblies

We report a novel molecular architecture of peptide-phospholipid coassemblies. The amphiphilic peptide Ac-18A-NH₂ (18A), which was designed to mimic apolipoprotein α-helices, has been shown to form nanodisc structures with phospholipid bilayers. We show that an 18A peptide cysteine substitution at residue 11, 18A[A11C], forms fibrous assemblies with 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine at a lipid-to-peptide (L/P) molar ratio of 1, a fiber diameter of 10-20 nm, and a length of more than 1 μm. Furthermore, 18A[A11C] can form nanodiscs with these lipid bilayers at L/P ratios of 4-6. The peptide adopts α-helical structures in both the nanodisc and nanofiber assemblies, although the α-helical bundle structures were evident only in the nanofibers, and the phospholipids of the nanofibers were not lamellar. Fluorescence spectroscopic analysis revealed that the peptide and lipid molecules in the nanofibers exhibited different solvent accessibility and hydrophobicity from those of the nanodiscs. Furthermore, the cysteine substitution at residue 11 did not result in disulfide bond formation, although it was responsible for the nanofiber formation, suggesting that this free sulfhydryl group has an important functional role. Alternatively, the disulfide dimer of 18A[A11C] preferentially formed nanodiscs, even at an L/P ratio of 1. Interconversions of these discoidal and fibrous assemblies were induced by the stepwise addition of free 18A[A11C] or liposomes into the solution. Furthermore, these structural transitions could also be induced by the introduction of oxidative and reductive stresses to the assemblies. Our results demonstrate that heteromolecular lipid-peptide complexes represent a novel approach to the construction of controllable and functional nanoscale assemblies.

Balancing the intermolecular forces in peptide amphiphiles for controlling self-assembly transitions

While the influence of alkyl chain length and headgroup size on self-assembly behaviour has been well-established for simple surfactants, the rational control over the pH- and concentration-dependent self-assembly behaviour in stimuli responsive peptides remains an elusive goal. Here, we show that different amphiphilic peptides can have similar self-assembly phase diagrams, providing the relative strengths of the attractive and repulsive forces are balanced. Using palmitoyl-YYAAEEEEK(DO3A:Gd)-NH2 and palmitoyl-YAAEEEEK(DO3A:Gd)-NH2 as controls, we show that reducing hydrophobic attractive forces through fewer methylene groups in the alkyl chain will lead to a similar self-assembly phase diagram as increasing the electrostatic repulsive forces via the addition of a glutamic acid residue. These changes allow creation of self-assembled MRI vehicles with slightly different micelle and nanofiber diameters but with minimal changes in the spin-lattice T1 relaxivity. These findings reveal a powerful strategy to design self-assembled vehicles with different sizes but with similar self-assembly profiles.

Supramolecular biofunctional materials

This review discusses supramolecular biofunctional materials, a novel class of biomaterials formed by small molecules that are held together via noncovalent interactions. The complexity of biology and relevant biomedical problems not only inspire, but also demand effective molecular design for functional materials. Supramolecular biofunctional materials offer (almost) unlimited possibilities and opportunities to address challenging biomedical problems. Rational molecular design of supramolecular biofunctional materials exploit powerful and versatile noncovalent interactions, which offer many advantages, such as responsiveness, reversibility, tunability, biomimicry, modularity, predictability, and, most importantly, adaptiveness. In this review, besides elaborating on the merits of supramolecular biofunctional materials (mainly in the form of hydrogels and/or nanoscale assemblies) resulting from noncovalent interactions, we also discuss the advantages of small peptides as a prevalent molecular platform to generate a wide range of supramolecular biofunctional materials for the applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, immunology, cancer therapy, fluorescent imaging, and stem cell regulation. This review aims to provide a brief synopsis of recent achievements at the intersection of supramolecular chemistry and biomedical science in hope of contributing to the multidisciplinary research on supramolecular biofunctional materials for a wide range of applications. We envision that supramolecular biofunctional materials will contribute to the development of new therapies that will ultimately lead to a paradigm shift for developing next generation biomaterials for medicine.

Acidity-Triggered Tumor Retention/Internalization of Chimeric Peptide for Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy and Real-Time Monitoring of Therapeutic Effects

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) holds great promise in tumor treatment. Nevertheless, it remains highly desirable to develop easy-to-fabricated PDT systems with improved tumor accumulation/internalization and timely therapeutic feedback. Here, we report a tumor-acidity-responsive chimeric peptide for enhanced PDT and noninvasive real-time apoptosis imaging. Both in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that a tumor mildly acidic microenvironment could trigger rapid protonation of carboxylate anions in chimeric peptide, which led to increased ζ potential, improved hydrophobicity, controlled size enlargement, and precise morphology switching from sphere to spherocylinder shape of the chimeric peptide. All of these factors realized superfast accumulation and prolonged retention in the tumor region, selective cellular internalization, and enhanced PDT against the tumor. Meanwhile, this chimeric peptide could further generate reactive oxygen species and initiate cell apoptosis during PDT. The subsequent formation of caspase-3 enzyme hydrolyzed the chimeric peptide, achieving a high signal/noise ratio and timely fluorescence feedback. Importantly, direct utilization of the acidity responsiveness of a biofunctional Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-Gly (DEVDG, caspase-3 enzyme substrate) peptide sequence dramatically simplified the preparation and increased the performance of the chimeric peptide furthest.

Morphology-tunable polydopamine nanoparticles and their application in Fe3+ detection

In this work, we discovered the morphology transformation property of polydopamine (PDA) nanomaterials, the addition of Fe³⁺ initiated the dramatic morphology transformation of PDA dots from aggregated plate-like to uniform willow-leaf-like morphology. Further study revealed that this fascinating morphology transformation process could be attributed to the oxidative nature and coordination characteristic of Fe³⁺. This is the first report on the morphology transformation ability of PDA, and a probable self-assembled mechanism was proposed to explain this issue. Besides, we noticed that morphological and fluorescent properties of PDA dots were closely related, thus a fluorescent Fe³⁺ detection method was presented based on the morphology-tunable PDA dots. With the proposed method, selective Fe³⁺ detection was achieved with a wide linear dynamic range of 10μM to 1mM. Furthermore, since the morphology tuning behavior of PDA dots was easy to operate, we anticipate this ability will find significant utility in sensing, drug delivery, and tissue engineering.

Self-Assembled Peptide- and Protein-Based Nanomaterials for Antitumor Photodynamic and Photothermal Therapy

Tremendous interest in self-assembly of peptides and proteins towards functional nanomaterials has been inspired by naturally evolving self-assembly in biological construction of multiple and sophisticated protein architectures in organisms. Self-assembled peptide and protein nanoarchitectures are excellent promising candidates for facilitating biomedical applications due to their advantages of structural, mechanical, and functional diversity and high biocompability and biodegradability. Here, this review focuses on the self-assembly of peptides and proteins for fabrication of phototherapeutic nanomaterials for antitumor photodynamic and photothermal therapy, with emphasis on building blocks, non-covalent interactions, strategies, and the nanoarchitectures of self-assembly. The exciting antitumor activities achieved by these phototherapeutic nanomaterials are also discussed in-depth, along with the relationships between their specific nanoarchitectures and their unique properties, providing an increased understanding of the role of peptide and protein self-assembly in improving the efficiency of photodynamic and photothermal therapy.

Electrostatic Control of Polymorphism in Charged Amphiphile Assemblies

Stimuli-induced structural transformations of molecular assemblies in aqueous solutions are integral to nanotechnological applications and biological processes. In particular, pH responsive amphiphiles as well as proteins with various degrees of ionization can reconfigure in response to pH variations. Here, we use in situ small and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Monte Carlo simulations to show how charge regulation via pH induces morphological changes in the assembly of a positively charged peptide amphiphile (PA). Monte Carlo simulations and pH titration measurements reveal that ionic correlations in the PA assemblies shift the ionizable amine pK ∼ 8 from pK ∼ 10 in the lysine headgroup. SAXS and TEM show that with increasing pH, the assembly undergoes spherical micelle to cylindrical nanofiber to planar bilayer transitions. SAXS/WAXS reveal that the bilayer leaflets are interdigitated with the tilted PA lipid tails crystallized on a rectangular lattice. The details of the molecular packing in the membrane result from interplay between steric and van der Waals interactions. We speculate that this packing motif is a general feature of bilayers comprised of amphiphilic lipids with large ionic headgroups. Overall, our studies correlate the molecular charge and the morphology for a pH-responsive PA system and provide insights into the Å-scale molecular packing in such assemblies.

Self-assembling peptide-based building blocks in medical applications

Peptides and peptide-conjugates, comprising natural and synthetic building blocks, are an increasingly popular class of biomaterials. Self-assembled nanostructures based on peptides and peptide-conjugates offer advantages such as precise selectivity and multifunctionality that can address challenges and limitations in the clinic. In this review article, we discuss recent developments in the design and self-assembly of various nanomaterials based on peptides and peptide-conjugates for medical applications, and categorize them into two themes based on the driving forces of molecular self-assembly. First, we present the self-assembled nanostructures driven by the supramolecular interactions between the peptides, with or without the presence of conjugates. The studies where nanoassembly is driven by the interactions between the conjugates of peptide-conjugates are then presented. Particular emphasis is given to in vivo studies focusing on therapeutics, diagnostics, immune modulation and regenerative medicine. Finally, challenges and future perspectives are presented.

One-Component Supramolecular Filament Hydrogels as Theranostic Label-Free Magnetic Resonance Imaging Agents

Gadolinium (Gd)-based compounds and materials are the most commonly used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents in the clinic; however, safety concerns associated with their toxicities in the free ionic form have promoted the development of new generations of metal-free contrast agents. Here we report a supramolecular strategy to convert an FDA-approved anticancer drug, Pemetrexed (Pem), to a molecular hydrogelator with inherent chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI signals. The rationally designed drug-peptide conjugate can spontaneously associate into filamentous assemblies under physiological conditions and consequently form theranostic supramolecular hydrogels for injectable delivery. We demonstrated that the local delivery and distribution of Pem-peptide nanofiber hydrogels can be directly assessed using CEST MRI in a mouse glioma model. Our work lays out the foundation for the development of drug-constructed theranostic supramolecular materials with an inherent CEST MRI signal that enables noninvasive monitoring of their in vivo distribution and drug release.

Drug delivery by supramolecular design

Principles rooted in supramolecular chemistry have empowered new and highly functional therapeutics and drug delivery devices. This general approach offers elegant tools rooted in molecular and materials engineered to address the many challenges faced in treating disease.

Co-organizing synthesis of heterogeneous nanostructures through the photo-cleavage of pre-stabilized self-assemblies

The photo-cleavage of a pre-stabilized self-assembled nanostructure targets metastable assemblies leading to exotic heterogeneous nanostructures that are inaccessible through conventional synthesis.

Sensitive and selective ratiometric fluorescent detection of monosaccharides in aqueous solutions at physiological pH using self-assembled peptides with different aromatic side chains

The control of disassembly of supramolecular nanostructures of the self-assembled peptides by monosaccharides was investigated for the fluorescent detection of monosaccharides in aqueous solutions.

Bioengineered protein-based nanocage for drug delivery

Nature, in its wonders, presents and assembles the most intricate and delicate protein structures and this remarkable phenomenon occurs in all kingdom and phyla of life. Of these proteins, cage-like multimeric proteins provide spatial control to biological processes and also compartmentalizes compounds that may be toxic or unstable and avoids their contact with the environment. Protein-based nanocages are of particular interest because of their potential applicability as drug delivery carriers and their perfect and complex symmetry and ideal physical properties, which have stimulated researchers to engineer, modify or mimic these qualities. This article reviews various existing types of protein-based nanocages that are used for therapeutic purposes, and outlines their drug-loading mechanisms and bioengineering strategies via genetic and chemical functionalization. Through a critical evaluation of recent advances in protein nanocage-based drug delivery in vitro and in vivo, an outlook for de novo and in silico nanocage design, and also protein-based nanocage preclinical and future clinical applications will be presented.

One-Dimensional Supramolecular Nanoplatforms for Theranostics Based on Co-Assembly of Peptide Amphiphiles

We report a simple and facile strategy for the preparation of multifunctional nanoparticles with programmable properties using self-assembly of precisely designed block amphiphiles in an aqueous solution-state. Versatile, supramolecular nanoplatform for personalized needs, particularly-theranostics, was fabricated by coassembly of peptide amphiphiles (PAs) in aqueous solution, replacing time-consuming and inaccessible chemical synthesis. Fibrils, driven by the assembly of hydrophobic β-sheet-forming peptide block, were utilized as a nanotemplate for drug loading within their robust core. PAs were tagged with octreotide [somatostatin (SST) analogue] for tumor-targeting or were conjugated with paramagnetic metal ion (Gd³⁺)-chelating 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The two PA types were coassembled to integrate each PA function into original fibrillar nanotemplates. The adoption of a bulky target-specific cyclic octreotide and β-sheet-forming peptide with enhanced hydrophobicity led to a morphological transition from conventional fibrils to helical fibrils. The resulting one-dimensional nanoaggregates allowed the successful intracellular delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) to MCF-7 cancer cells overexpressing SST receptor (SSTR) and MR imaging by enabling high longitudinal (T₁) relaxivity of water protons. Correlation between the structural nature of fibrils formed by PA coassembly and contrast efficacy was elucidated. The coassembly of PAs with desirable functions may thus be a useful strategy for the generation of tailor-made biocompatible nanomaterials.

Engineering responsive supramolecular biomaterials: Toward smart therapeutics

Engineering materials using supramolecular principles enables generalizable and modular platforms that have tunable chemical, mechanical, and biological properties. Applying this bottom-up, molecular engineering-based approach to therapeutic design affords unmatched control of emergent properties and functionalities. In preparing responsive materials for biomedical applications, the dynamic character of typical supramolecular interactions facilitates systems that can more rapidly sense and respond to specific stimuli through a fundamental change in material properties or characteristics, as compared to cases where covalent bonds must be overcome. Several supramolecular motifs have been evaluated toward the preparation of "smart" materials capable of sensing and responding to stimuli. Triggers of interest in designing materials for therapeutic use include applied external fields, environmental changes, biological actuators, applied mechanical loading, and modulation of relative binding affinities. In addition, multistimuli-responsive routes can be realized that capture combinations of triggers for increased functionality. In sum, supramolecular engineering offers a highly functional strategy to prepare responsive materials. Future development and refinement of these approaches will improve precision in material formation and responsiveness, seek dynamic reciprocity in interactions with living biological systems, and improve spatiotemporal sensing of disease for better therapeutic deployment.

Multifunctional Nanoparticles Self-Assembled from Small Organic Building Blocks for Biomedicine

Supramolecular self-assembly shows significant potential to construct responsive materials. By tailoring the structural parameters of organic building blocks, nanosystems can be fabricated, whose performance in catalysis, energy storage and conversion, and biomedicine has been explored. Since small organic building blocks are structurally simple, easily modified, and reproducible, they are frequently employed in supramolecular self-assembly and materials science. The dynamic and adaptive nature of self-assembled nanoarchitectures affords an enhanced sensitivity to the changes in environmental conditions, favoring their applications in controllable drug release and bioimaging. Here, recent significant research advancements of small-organic-molecule self-assembled nanoarchitectures toward biomedical applications are highlighted. Functionalized assemblies, mainly including vesicles, nanoparticles, and micelles are categorized according to their topological morphologies and functions. These nanoarchitectures with different topologies possess distinguishing advantages in biological applications, well incarnating the structure-property relationship. By presenting some important discoveries, three domains of these nanoarchitectures in biomedical research are covered, including biosensors, bioimaging, and controlled release/therapy. The strategies regarding how to design and characterize organic assemblies to exhibit biomedical applications are also discussed. Up-to-date research developments in the field are provided and research challenges to be overcome in future studies are revealed.

(19)F Magnetic Resonance Imaging Signals from Peptide Amphiphile Nanostructures Are Strongly Affected by Their Shape

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive imaging modality that provides excellent spatial and temporal resolution. The most commonly used MR probes face significant challenges originating from the endogenous (1)H background signal of water. In contrast, fluorine MRI ((19)F MRI) allows quantitative probe imaging with zero background signal. Probes with high fluorine content are required for high sensitivity, suggesting nanoscale supramolecular assemblies containing (19)F probes offer a potentially useful strategy for optimum imaging as a result of improved payload. We report here on supramolecular nanostructures formed by fluorinated peptide amphiphiles containing either glutamic acid or lysine residues in their sequence. We identified molecules that form aggregates in water which transition from cylindrical to ribbon-like shape as pH increased from 4.5 to 8.0. Interestingly, we found that ribbon-like nanostructures had reduced magnetic resonance signal, whereas their cylindrical counterparts exhibited strong signals. We attribute this drastic difference to the greater mobility of fluorinated tails in the hydrophobic compartment of cylindrical nanostructures compared to lower mobility in ribbon-like assemblies. This discovery identifies a strategy to design supramolecular, self-assembling contrast agents for (19)F MRI that can spatially map physiologically relevant changes in pH using changes in morphology.

Hydrogelation of the Short Self-Assembling Peptide I3QGK Regulated by Transglutaminase and Use for Rapid Hemostasis

The self-assembly of short peptides is a promising route to the creation of smart biomaterials. To combine peptide self-assembly with enzymatic catalysis, we design an amphiphilic short peptide I3QGK that can self-assemble into long nanoribbons in aqueous solution. Upon addition of transglutaminase (TGase), the peptide solution undergoes a distinct sol-gel transition to form a rigid hydrogel, which shows strong shear-thinning and immediate recovery properties. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements indicate the occurrence of considerable nanofibers in addition to the original nanoribbons. Liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry analyses reveal the enzymatic formation of peptide dimers from monomers through intermolecular ε-(γ-glutamyl)lysine isopeptide bonding. The dimers rapidly self-assemble into flexible and entangled nanofibers, and the coexistence of the original nanoribbons and the newly created nanofibers is responsible for hydrogelation. Factor XIII in blood is converted by thrombin to an active TGase (Factor XIIIa) during bleeding, so the peptide solution shows a more rapid and effective hemostasis via a combination of gelling blood and promoting platelet adhesion, relative to other hemostasis methods or materials. These features of I3QGK, together with its low cytotoxicity against normal mammalian cells and noninduction of nonspecific immunogenic responses, endow it with great potential for future clinical hemostasis applications.

Enzymatic Regulation of Self-Assembling Peptide A9K2 Nanostructures and Hydrogelation with Highly Selective Antibacterial Activities

Hydrogels offer great potential for many biomedical and technological applications. For clinical uses, hydrogels that act as scaffold materials for cell culture, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery are required to have bactericidal properties. The amphiphilic peptide A9K2 was designed to effectively inhibit bacterial growth via a mechanism of membrane permeabilization. The present study demonstrated that addition of fetal bovine serum (FBS) or plasma amine oxidase (PAO) induced a sol-gel transition in A9K2 aqueous solutions. The transformation of A9K2 molecules catalyzed by lysyl oxidase (LO) in FBS or PAO accounted for the hydrogelation. Importantly, the enzymatic A9K2 hydrogel displayed high antibacterial ability against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains while showing extremely low mammalian cell cytotoxicity, thus demonstrating good biocompatibility. Under established coculture conditions, the peptide hydrogel showed excellent selectivity by favoring the adherence and spreading of mammalian cells, while killing pathogenic bacteria, thus avoiding bacterial contamination. These advantages endow the enzymatic A9K2 hydrogel with great potential for biomedical applications.

A human GRPr-transfected Ace-1 canine prostate cancer model in mice

BACKGROUND

A versatile drug screening system was developed to simplify early targeted drug discovery in mice and then translate readily from mice to a dog prostate cancer model that more fully replicates the features of human prostate cancer.

METHODS

We stably transfected human cDNA of the GRPr bombesin (BBN) receptor subtype to canine Ace-1 prostate cancer cells (Ace-1(huGRPr) ). Expression was examined by (125) I-Tyr(4) -BBN competition, calcium stimulation assay, and fluorescent microscopy. A dual tumor nude mouse xenograft model was developed from Ace-1(CMV) (vector transfected Ace-1) and Ace-1(huGRPr) cells. The model was used to explore the in vivo behavior of two new IRDye800-labeled GRPr binding optical imaging agents: 800-G-Abz4-t-BBN, from a GRPr agonist peptide, and 800-G-Abz4-STAT, from a GRPr antagonist peptide, by imaging the tumor mice and dissected organs.

RESULTS

Both agents bound Ace-1(huGRPr) and PC-3, a known GRPr-expressing human prostate cancer cell line, with 4-13 nM IC50 against (125) I-Tyr(4) -BBN, but did not bind Ace-1(CMV) cells (vector transfected). Binding was blocked by bombesin. Ca(2+) activation assays demonstrated that Ace-1(huGPRr) expressed biologically active GRPr. Both Ace-1 cell lines grew in the flanks of 100% of the nude mice and formed tumors of ∼0.5 cm diameter in 1 week. In vivo imaging of the mice at 800 nm emission showed GRPr+: GRPr- tumor signal brighter by a factor of two at 24 h post IV administration of 10 nmol of the imaging agents. Blood retention (4-8% ID at 1 h) was greater by a factor >10 and cumulative urine accumulation (28-30% at 4 h) was less by a factor 2 compared to a radioactive analog of the t-BBN containing agent, (177) LuAMBA, probably due to binding to blood albumin, which we confirmed in a mouse serum assay.

CONCLUSIONS

The dual tumor Ace-1(CMV) /Ace-1(huGRPr) model system provides a rapid test of specific to nonspecific binding of new GRPr avid agents in a model that will extend logically to the known Ace-1 orthotopic canine prostate cancer model. Prostate 76:783-795, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Exploring architectures at the nanoscale: the interplay between hydrophobic twin lipid chains and head groups of designer peptide amphiphiles in the self-assembly process and application

The self-assembly of peptide amphiphiles (PAs) is found to be governed by the hydrophobic interactions induced by the hydrophobic groups/number of alkyl chains and the hydrophilic head groups. In this study, an assessment of the nanostructures formed by the self-assembly of simple twin chained PAs was carried out and compared to their single chain/short analogues. The spectroscopic and microscopic analysis revealed the fact that the twin chained amphiphiles had a high inclination to form β-sheet nanofibers and further towards hydrogelation. The mixture of twin chained PAs also exhibited cooperative self-assembly with improved aggregation behavior, although not much augmentation in β-type structuring was found. In contrast, the single chain/short analogue containing PAs showed very less of β-sheet type structures to a lesser extent and no hydrogelating behavior but resulted in mostly random conformations. The increase in the number or alteration of polar head groups in double chained PAs induced higher extent of β-type conformation and better gelling capability due to the combined hydrophobic effect of the twin chains. The overall results delineated the dominance of hydrophobic interactions. Finally, calcium phosphate bio-mineralization was done in the hydrogels of twin chained PAs with the aim of developing future biomaterials.

Facile synthesis of a peptidic Au(I)-metalloamphiphile and its self-assembly into luminescent micelles in water

We report a short synthetic route for the preparation of a peptidic Au(I)-metalloamphiphile which, in buffered environments of physiological ionic strength, self-assembles into luminescent micellar nanostructures of 14 nm in diameter.

Building Nanostructures with Drugs

The convergence of nanoscience and drug delivery has prompted the formation of the field of nanomedicine, one that exploits the novel physicochemical and biological properties of nanostructures for improved medical treatments and reduced side effects. Until recently, this nanostructure-mediated strategy considered the drug to be solely a biologically active compound to be delivered, and its potential as a molecular building unit remained largely unexplored. A growing trend within nanomedicine has been the use of drug molecules to build well-defined nanostructures of various sizes and shapes. This strategy allows for the creation of self-delivering supramolecular nanomedicines containing a high and fixed drug content. Through rational design of the number and type of the drug incorporated, the resulting nanostructures can be tailored to assume various morphologies (e.g. nanospheres, rods, nanofibers, or nanotubes) for a particular mode of administration such as systemic, topical, and local delivery. This review covers the recent advances in this rapidly developing field, with the aim of providing an in-depth evaluation of the exciting opportunities that this new field could create to improve the current clinical practice of nanomedicine.

Synthesis of peptide nanofibers decorated with palladium nanoparticles and its application as an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of sulfides via reaction of aryl halides with thiourea or 2-mercaptobenzothiazole

In this work supported Pd nanoparticles on a peptide nanofiber (PdNP–PNF) have been preparedviafabrication of self-assembled woven nanofiber from peptide, subsequently immobilization of palladium nanoparticles on this nanostructural compound.

A pH-responsive poly(ether amine) micelle with hollow structure for controllable drug release

A pH-responsive poly(ether amine) micelle with hollow structure was developed for controllable drug release.

Steric Constraints Induced Frustrated Growth of Supramolecular Nanorods in Water

A unique example of supramolecular polymerisation in water based on monomers with nanomolar affinities, which yield rod-like materials with extraordinarily high thermodynamic stability, yet of finite length, is reported. A small library of charge-neutral dendritic peptide amphiphiles was prepared, with a branched nonaphenylalanine-based core that was conjugated to hydrophilic dendrons of variable steric demand. Below a critical size of the dendron, the monomers assemble into nanorod-like polymers, whereas for larger dendritic side chains frustrated growth into near isotropic particles is observed. The supramolecular morphologies observed by electron microscopy, X-ray scattering and diffusion NMR spectroscopy studies are in agreement with the mechanistic insights obtained from fitting polymerisation profiles: non-cooperative isodesmic growth leads to degrees of polymerisation that match the experimentally determined nanorod contour lengths of close to 70 nm. The reported designs for aqueous self-assembly into well-defined anisotropic particles has promising potential for biomedical applications and the development of functional supramolecular biomaterials, with emerging evidence that anisotropic shapes in carrier design outperform conventional isotropic materials for targeted imaging and therapy.

Biomimetic supramolecular designs for the controlled release of growth factors in bone regeneration

The extracellular matrix (ECM) of tissues is an assembly of insoluble macromolecules that specifically interact with soluble bioactive molecules and regulate their distribution and availability to cells. Recapitulating this ability has been an important target in controlled growth factor delivery strategies for tissue regeneration and requires the design of multifunctional carriers. This review describes the integration of supramolecular interactions on the design of delivery strategies that encompass self-assembling and engineered affinity components to construct advanced biomimetic carriers for growth factor delivery. Several glycan- and peptide-based self-assemblies reported in the literature are highlighted and commented upon. These examples demonstrate how molecular design and chemistry are successfully employed to create versatile multifunctional molecules which self-assemble/disassemble in a precisely predicted manner, thus controlling compartmentalization, transport and delivery. Finally, we discuss whether recent advances in the design and preparation of supramolecular delivery systems have been sufficient to drive real translation towards a clinical impact.

pH-Cleavable Nucleoside Lipids: A New Paradigm for Controlling the Stability of Lipid-Based Delivery Systems

Lipid-based delivery systems are an established technology with considerable clinical acceptance and several applications in human. Herein, we report the design, synthesis and evaluation of novel orthoester nucleoside lipids (ONLs) for the modulation of liposome stability. The ONLs contain head groups with 3'-orthoester nucleoside derivatives featuring positive or negative charges. The insertion of the orthoester function in the NL structures allows the formation of pH-sensitive liposomes. ONL-based liposomes can be hydrolyzed to provide nontoxic products, including nucleoside derivatives and hexadecanol. To allow the release to be tunable at different hydrolysis rates, the charge of the polar head structure is modulated, and the head group can be released at a biologically relevant pH. Crucially, when ONLs are mixed with natural phosphocholine lipids (PC), the resultant liposome evolves toward the formation of a hexadecanol/PC lamellar system. Biological evaluation shows that stable nucleic acid lipid particles (SNALPs) formulated with ONLs and siRNAs can effectively enter into tumor cells and release their nucleic acid payload in response to an intracellular acidic environment. This results in a much higher antitumor activity than conventional SNALPs. The ability to use pH-cleavable nucleolipids to control the stability of lipid-based delivery systems represents a promising approach for the intracellular delivery of drug cargos.

Luminescent supramolecular soft nanostructures from amphiphilic dinuclear Re(I) complexes

Luminescent metallo-surfactants based on highly emissive dinuclear Re(I) complexes have been synthesized combining the peculiar photophysical behaviour of this class of neutral hydrophobic complexes with new properties imparted by hydrophilic chains anchored on the coordinated chromophoric ligand. In solution, the resulting neutral amphiphiles tend to self-assembly in soft structures. The aggregation properties have been thoroughly investigated in dioxane-water mixtures, where all the complexes assembly in globular-like supramolecular architectures with well-defined size (hydrodynamic diameter = 200-400 nm). The morphology of these nano-objects has been completely characterized with Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) analysis, Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) and cryo-TEM to determine the size, polydispersity, and stability of the nanoparticles in relationship with the structure of the metallo-surfactants. The photophysical properties of both the isolated metal complexes and their aggregates have been investigated by means of UV-Vis absorption, steady-state and time-resolved emission spectroscopy. Noteworthy, the self-assembly properties of the reported luminescent rhenium metallo-amphiphiles can be modulated by solvent polarity. Even more importantly, such aggregation process yielded a small hypsochromic shift of the emission energy accompanied by a sizeable elongation of the excited-state lifetime and an enhancement of the photoluminescence quantum yield, reaching a remarkably high value of 0.20 despite the air-equilibrated aqueous condition. The presented findings endorse novel possibilities for the efficient use of soft-nanostructures based on metallo-amphiphiles in dual (electron and optical microscopy) bio-imaging applications and theranostics where the non-covalent nature of the intermolecular interactions would offer the powerful and unique possibility to reversibly assemble and disassemble imaging agents.