Peptide amphiphile nanoparticles enhance the immune response against a CpG-adjuvanted influenza antigen

Cationic peptide amphiphile nanoparticles are employed for co-delivery of immune modulator CpG and antigen. This results in better targeting to the antigen presenting cells and eliciting strong Th1 response, which is effective against the intracellular pathogens.

Employment of nanomaterials in polymerase chain reaction: insight into the impacts and putative operating mechanisms of nano-additives in PCR

The latest developments in the field of nanomaterial-assisted PCR are evaluated with a focus on putative operating mechanisms.

A review of polypeptide-based polymersomes

Self-assembled systems from biodegradable amphiphilic polymers at the nanometer scale, such as nanotubes, nanoparticles, polymer micelles, nanogels, and polymersomes, have attracted much attention especially in biomedical fields. Among these nano-aggregates, polymersomes have attracted tremendous interests as versatile carriers due to their colloidal stability, tunable membrane properties and ability of encapsulating or integrating a broad range of drugs and molecules. Biodegradable block polymers, especially aliphatic polyesters such as polylactide, polyglycolide and poly (ε-caprolactone) have been widely used as biomedical materials for a long time to well fit the requirement of biomedical drug carriers. To have a precise control of the aggregation behavior of nano-aggregates, the more ordered polypeptide has been used to self-assemble into the drug carriers. In this review we focus on the study of polymersomes which also named pepsomes formed by polypeptide-based copolymers and attempt to clarify the polypeptide-based polymersomes from following aspects: synthesis and characterization of the polypeptide-based copolymers, preparation, multifunction and application of polypeptide-based polymersomes.

Smart Polymersomes: Formation, Characterisation and Applications

The term polymersome, which refers to a fully synthetic polymeric vesicle, became commonplace around the turn of the millennium. Since then these highly intriguing structures have been at the center of multi-disciplinary research, bridging the fields of nanotechnology, chemistry, physics, biology, medicine and imaging and, more recently, pioneering the field of synthetic biology. As structures they offer greater control into understanding the relationship between amphiphile properties and membrane curvature. Moreover, as delivery vectors for therapeutic and diagnostic compounds they enable greater efficiency of current therapies and targeted delivery. With the rising costs of both healthcare and drug development, polymersomes and nanomedicine are well placed to combat these modern-day problems. This chapter provides an overview of the approaches to prepare and to characterize polymersomes as well as their applications in biomedicine, highlighting recent achievements in the stimuli-responsive drug delivery field.

Engineering Polymersome Protocells

The field of biomimicry is embracing the construction of complex assemblies that imitate both biological structure and function. Advancements in the design of these mimetics have generated a growing vision for creating an artificial or proto- cell. Polymersomes are vesicles that can be made from synthetic, biological or hybrid polymers and can be used as a model template to build cell-like structures. In this perspective, we discuss various areas where polymersomes have been used to mimic cell functions as well as areas in which the synthetic flexibility of polymersomes would make them ideal candidates for a biomembrane mimetic. Designing a polymersome that comprehensively displays the behaviors discussed herein has the potential to lead to the development of an autonomous, responsive particle that resembles the intelligence of a biological cell.

Doxorubicin-loaded (PEG)₃-PLA nanopolymersomes: effect of solvents and process parameters on formulation development and in vitro study

This study is focused on the preparation of doxorubicin-loaded nanopolymersomes (PolyDoxSome) and assessment of the effects of various solvents and process variables on the size and drug loading during preparation of formulation. PolyDoxSome was prepared by nanoprecipitation method using amphiphilic (PEG)₃-PLA copolymer, and the formation of polymersomes was assessed by dynamic light scattering and optical and transmission electron microscopy and evaluated for in vitro release profile and in vitro cytotoxicity. A systematic investigation indicated that solvent composition, order of addition, aqueous phase, copolymer concentration, and external energy input have significant influence on size and dispersity of PolyDoxSome. Under optimized conditions, PolyDoxSome had a size range of 130-180 nm with PDI < 0.2, a zeta potential ∼-8 mV, and a drug loading at ∼11% w/w with an encapsulation efficiency at ∼53% w/w. In vitro release profile of PolyDoxSome at 37 °C demonstrated that doxorubicin release was pH dependent and gave higher release at pH 5.5 in comparison to the release at pH 7.4 (similarity factor, f₂ < 50). PolyDoxSome exhibited enhanced cellular uptake of doxorubicin compared to free doxorubicin solution in MCF-7 cell line and showed a better cytotoxicity of doxorubicin at equivalent dose in nanopolymersomes. In conclusion, size and dispersity were strongly influenced by duration of magnetic stirring and overall composition of organic/aqueous media; however, size and dispersity were retained against different degrees of dilution. PolyDoxSome was able to control the release of doxorubicin in pH dependent manner and effectively deliver the drug in active form to MCF-7 breast cancer cells.