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Sbordone F, Micallef A, Frisch H. pH-Controlled Reversible Folding of Copolymers via Formation of β-sheet Secondary Structures. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202319839. [PMID: 38205669 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202319839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Protein functions are enabled by their perfectly arranged 3D structure, which is the result of a hierarchical intramolecular folding process. Sequence-defined polypeptide chains form locally ordered secondary structures (i.e., α-helix and β-sheet) through hydrogen bonding between the backbone amides, shaping the overall tertiary structure. To generate similarly complex macromolecular architectures based on synthetic materials, a plethora of strategies have been developed to induce and control the folding of synthetic polymers. However, the degree of complexity of the structure-driving ensemble of interactions demonstrated by natural polymers is unreached, as synthesizing long sequence-defined polymers with functional backbones remains a challenge. Herein, we report the synthesis of hybrid peptide-N,N-Dimethylacrylamide copolymers via radical Ring-Opening Polymerization (rROP) of peptide containing macrocycles. The resulting synthetic polymers contain sequence-defined regions of β-sheet encoding amino acid sequences. Exploiting the pH responsiveness of the embedded sequences, protonation or deprotonation in water induces self-assembly of the peptide strands at an intramacromolecular level, driving polymer chain folding via formation of β-sheet secondary structures. We demonstrate that the folding behavior is sequence dependent and reversible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Sbordone
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
- Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Aaron Micallef
- Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
- Central Analytical Research Facility, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Hendrik Frisch
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
- Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
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2
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Smith DK. Supramolecular gels - a panorama of low-molecular-weight gelators from ancient origins to next-generation technologies. SOFT MATTER 2023; 20:10-70. [PMID: 38073497 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01301d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Supramolecular gels, self-assembled from low-molecular-weight gelators (LMWGs), have a long history and a bright future. This review provides an overview of these materials, from their use in lubrication and personal care in the ancient world, through to next-generation technologies. In academic terms, colloid scientists in the 19th and early 20th centuries first understood such gels as being physically assembled as a result of weak interactions, combining a solid-like network having a degree of crystalline order with a highly mobile liquid-like phase. During the 20th century, industrial scientists began using these materials in new applications in the polymer, oil and food industries. The advent of supramolecular chemistry in the late 20th century, with its focus on non-covalent interactions and controlled self-assembly, saw the horizons for these materials shifted significantly beyond their historic rheological applications, expanding their potential. The ability to tune the LMWG chemical structure, manipulate hierarchical assembly, develop multi-component systems, and introduce new types of responsive and interactive behaviour, has been transformative. Furthermore, the dynamics of these materials are increasingly understood, creating metastable gels and transiently-fueled systems. New approaches to shaping and patterning gels are providing a unique opportunity for more sophisticated uses. These supramolecular advances are increasingly underpinning and informing next-generation applications - from drug delivery and regenerative medicine to environmental remediation and sustainable energy. In summary, this article presents a panorama over the field of supramolecular gels, emphasising how both academic and industrial scientists are building on the past, and engaging new fundamental insights and innovative concepts to open up exciting horizons for their future use.
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Affiliation(s)
- David K Smith
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
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3
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Richardson BJ, Zhang C, Rauthe P, Unterreiner AN, Golberg DV, Poad BLJ, Frisch H. Peptide Self-Assembly Controlled Photoligation of Polymers. J Am Chem Soc 2023. [PMID: 37433011 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c03961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Highly efficient chemical ligations that operate in water under mild conditions are the foundation of bioorthogonal chemistry. However, the toolbox of suitable reactions is limited. Conventional approaches to expand this toolbox aim at altering the inherent reactivity of functional groups to design new reactions that meet the required benchmarks. Inspired by controlled reaction environments that enzymes provide, we report a fundamentally different approach that makes inefficient reactions highly efficient within defined local environments. Contrasting enzymatically catalyzed reactions, the reactivity controlling self-assembled environment is brought about by the ligation targets themselves─avoiding the use of a catalyst. Targeting [2 + 2] photocycloadditions, which are inefficient at low concentrations and readily quenched by oxygen, short β-sheet encoded peptide sequences are inserted between a hydrophobic photoreactive styrylpyrene unit and a hydrophilic polymer. In water, electrostatic repulsion of deprotonated amino acid residues governs the formation of small self-assembled structures, which enable a highly efficient photoligation of the polymer, reaching ∼90% ligation within 2 min (0.034 mM). Upon protonation at low pH, the self-assembly changes into 1D fibers, altering photophysical properties and shutting down the photocycloaddition reaction. Using the reversible morphology change, it is possible to switch the photoligation "ON" or "OFF" under constant irradiation simply by varying the pH. Importantly, in dimethylformamide, the photoligation reaction did not occur even at 10-fold higher concentrations (0.34 mM). The self-assembly into a specific architecture, encoded into the polymer ligation target, enables a highly efficient ligation that overcomes the concentration limitations and high oxygen sensitivity of [2 + 2] photocycloadditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailey J Richardson
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
- Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
| | - Chao Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
- Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
- Central Analytical Research Facility, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
| | - Pascal Rauthe
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
| | - Andreas-Neil Unterreiner
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
| | - Dmitri V Golberg
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
- Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
| | - Berwyck L J Poad
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
- Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
- Central Analytical Research Facility, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
| | - Hendrik Frisch
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
- Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
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4
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Xiang Y, Mao H, Tong SC, Liu C, Yan R, Zhao L, Zhu L, Bao C. A Facile and Versatile Approach to Construct Photoactivated Peptide Hydrogels by Regulating Electrostatic Repulsion. ACS NANO 2023; 17:5536-5547. [PMID: 36892586 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c10896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Short peptides that can respond to external stimuli have been considered as the preferred building blocks to construct hydrogels for biomedical applications. In particular, photoresponsive peptides that are capable of triggering the formation of hydrogels upon light irradiation allow the properties of hydrogels to be changed remotely by precise and localized actuation. Here, we used the photochemical reaction of the 2-nitrobenzyl ester group (NB) to develop a facile and versatile strategy for constructing photoactivated peptide hydrogels. The peptides with high aggregation propensity were designed as hydrogelators, which were photocaged by a positively charged dipeptide (KK) to provide strong charge repulsion and prevent self-assembly in water. Light irradiation led to the removal of KK and triggered the self-assembly of peptides and the formation of hydrogel. Light stimulation endows spatial and temporal control, which enables the formation of hydrogel with precisely tunable structure and mechanical properties. Cell culture and behavior study indicated that the optimized photoactivated hydrogel was suitable for 2D and 3D cell culture, and its photocontrollable mechanical strength could regulate the spreading of stem cells on its surface. Therefore, our strategy provides an alternative way to construct photoactivated peptide hydrogels with wide applications in biomedical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanxin Xiang
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Huanv Mao
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Si-Cheng Tong
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Can Liu
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Rui Yan
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Li Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Linyong Zhu
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Chunyan Bao
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
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5
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Noteborn WM, Vittala SK, Torredemer MB, Maity C, Versluis F, Eelkema R, Kieltyka RE. Switching the Mode of Drug Release from a Reaction-Coupled Low-Molecular-Weight Gelator System by Altering Its Reaction Pathway. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:377-386. [PMID: 36562759 PMCID: PMC9832487 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Low-molecular-weight hydrogels are attractive scaffolds for drug delivery applications because of their modular and facile preparation starting from inexpensive molecular components. The molecular design of the hydrogelator results in a commitment to a particular release strategy, where either noncovalent or covalent bonding of the drug molecule dictates its rate and mechanism. Herein, we demonstrate an alternative approach using a reaction-coupled gelator to tune drug release in a facile and user-defined manner by altering the reaction pathway of the low-molecular-weight gelator (LMWG) and drug components through an acylhydrazone-bond-forming reaction. We show that an off-the-shelf drug with a reactive handle, doxorubicin, can be covalently bound to the gelator through its ketone moiety when the addition of the aldehyde component is delayed from 0 to 24 h, or noncovalently bound with its addition at 0 h. We also examine the use of an l-histidine methyl ester catalyst to prepare the drug-loaded hydrogels under physiological conditions. Fitting of the drug release profiles with the Korsmeyer-Peppas model corroborates a switch in the mode of release consistent with the reaction pathway taken: increased covalent ligation drives a transition from a Fickian to a semi-Fickian mode in the second stage of release with a decreased rate. Sustained release of doxorubicin from the reaction-coupled hydrogel is further confirmed in an MTT toxicity assay with MCF-7 breast cancer cells. We demonstrate the modularity and ease of the reaction-coupled approach to prepare drug-loaded self-assembled hydrogels in situ with tunable mechanics and drug release profiles that may find eventual applications in macroscale drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willem
E. M. Noteborn
- Supramolecular
and Biomaterials Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RALeiden, The Netherlands
| | - Sandeepa K. Vittala
- Supramolecular
and Biomaterials Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RALeiden, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Broto Torredemer
- Supramolecular
and Biomaterials Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RALeiden, The Netherlands
| | - Chandan Maity
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Delft University
of Technology, Van der
Maasweg 9, 2629 HZDelft, The Netherlands
| | - Frank Versluis
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Delft University
of Technology, Van der
Maasweg 9, 2629 HZDelft, The Netherlands
| | - Rienk Eelkema
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Delft University
of Technology, Van der
Maasweg 9, 2629 HZDelft, The Netherlands
| | - Roxanne E. Kieltyka
- Supramolecular
and Biomaterials Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RALeiden, The Netherlands,
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