Comparison of Hyperbranched and Linear Polyglycidol Unimolecular Reverse Micelles as Nanoreactors and Nanocapsules

Design of fluorinated hyperbranched polyether copolymers for 19F MRI nanotheranostics

¹⁹F MRI contrast agents and drug nanocarriers based on fluorinated hyperbranched polyether copolymers.

Complex Polymeric Architectures Self-Assembling in Unimolecular Micelles: Preparation, Characterization and Drug Nanoencapsulation

Unimolecular polymeric micelles are a class of single-molecule amphiphilic core-shell polymeric architectures, where the hydrophobic core is well stabilized by the hydrophilic shell, avoiding intermolecular core-core interactions. Multi-arm copolymers with a dendritic core, as well as hyperbranched and comb-like polymers, can form unimolecular micelles easily. In this review, examples of polymers able to form detectable unimolecular micelles will be presented, summarizing the analytical techniques used to characterize the unimolecular micelles and discriminate them from other supramolecular aggregates, such as multi-micelle aggregates. Unimolecular micelles are suitable for the nanoencapsulation of guest molecules. Compared to traditional supramolecular micelles, unimolecular micelles do not disassemble under dilution and are stable to environmental modifications. Recent examples of their application as drug delivery systems, endowed with increased stability and transport properties, will be discussed.

Unimolecular Micelles from Layered Amphiphilic Dendrimer-Like Block Copolymers

In this report, we synthesized layered amphiphilic dendrimer-like block copolymers containing a polystyrene core and poly(p-tert-butoxystyrene)/poly(p-hydroxylstyrene) shell (coded G4-PtBOS/G4-PHOS). The synthetic method is easy involving anionic polymerization, epoxidation, ring-opening reaction and hydrolysis reaction. The hydrolyzed G4-PtBOS was soluble in alkaline water and behaved as unimolecular micelle, as demonstrated by the results of DLS, cryo- and normal TEM, and pyrene entrapping experiment. The stability of the unimolecular micelles was investigated via ζ-potential measurements.

Co-assembly of two types of complementary dendritic units into amphiphilic supramolecular complexes capable of hosting guest molecules

Novel amphiphilic supramolecular complexes with two types of complementary dendritic units could encapsulate hydrophilic guests with excellent aggregating encapsulation performances.

OX26 modified hyperbranched polyglycerol-conjugated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization and evaluation of its brain delivery ability

A novel nanoparticles-based brain drug delivery system made of hyperbranched polyglycerol-conjugated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) which was surface functionalized with transferrin antibody (OX26) was prepared. Hyperbranched polyglycerol-conjugated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) was synthesized, characterized and applied to prepare nanoparticles by means of double emulsion solvent evaporation technique. Transmission electron micrograph and dynamic light scattering showed that nanoparticles had a round and regular shape with a mean diameter of 170 ± 20 nm. Surface chemical composition was detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Endomorphins, as a model drug, was encapsulated in the nanoparticles. In vitro drug release study showed that endomorphins was released continuously for 72 h. Cellular uptake study showed that the uptake of nanoparticles by the brain microvascular endothelial cells was both time- and concentration-dependant. Further uptake inhibition study indicated that the uptake of nanoparticles was via a caveolae-mediated endocytic pathway. In vivo endomorphins brain delivery ability was evaluated based upon the rat model of chronic constriction injury of sciatic nerve. OX26 modified nanoparticles had achieved better analgesic effects, compared with other groups. Thus, OX26 modified hyperbranched polyglycerol-conjugated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles may be a promising brain drug delivery carrier.

Synthesis of Hyperbranched Polymer Using Slow Monomer Addition Method

This paper details the synthesis of a well-defined hyperbranched polymer using a slow monomer addition method. The polymerization under slow monomer addition conditions results in a very low monomer concentration actually present in the reaction mixture, and the exclusive reaction of the monomer with the growing polyfunctional macromolecules occurs, resulting in a high molecular weight and a high degree of branching value. Thus, the slow monomer addition is a versatile and preferential method for the controlled synthesis of a well-defined hyperbranched polymer with both a high molecular weight and a high degree of branching value.

Construction and application of a pH-sensitive nanoreactor via a double-hydrophilic multiarm hyperbranched polymer

A double-hydrophilic multiarm hyperbranched polymer with a hyperbranched poly(amidoamine) (HPAMAM) core and many poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether (MPEG) arms connected by pH-sensitive acylhydrazone bonds (HPAMAM-g-MPEG) was successfully prepared. Benefiting from the cationic dendritic core and PEGylation shell, the double-hydrophilic multiarm hyperbranched polymer was used as a nanoreactor for CdS quantum dots (CdS QDs) synthesis in aqueous solution. The obtained HPAMAM-g-MPEG and CdS/HPAMAM-g-MPEG nanocomposites were carefully characterized by (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-vis), fluorescence spectroscopy (FL), dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and electronic dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Both (1)H NMR and fluorescence spectroscopy investigations confirmed that the acylhydrazone linkage between the dendritic core and linear arms was readily broken under acidic condition (pH <5.5). When MPEG arms departed from the HPAMAM core, the fluorescence intensity of CdS/HPAMAM-g-MPEG nanocomposites greatly increased. Such pH-responsive behavior of CdS/HPAMAM-g-MPEG nanocomposites was utilized as an exploration of a novel fluorescence probe in an acidic lysosome exemplified by COS-7 cells.

Dendritic polyglycerols for biomedical applications

The application of nanotechnology in medicine and pharmaceuticals is a rapidly advancing field that is quickly gaining acceptance and recognition as an independent area of research called "nanomedicine". Urgent needs in this field, however, are biocompatible and bioactive materials for antifouling surfaces and nanoparticles for drug delivery. Therefore, extensive attention has been given to the design and development of new macromolecular structures. Among the various polymeric architectures, dendritic ("treelike") polymers have experienced an exponential development due to their highly branched, multifunctional, and well-defined structures. This Review describes the diverse syntheses and biomedical applications of dendritic polyglycerols (PGs). These polymers exhibit good chemical stability and inertness under biological conditions and are highly biocompatible. Oligoglycerols and their fatty acid esters are FDA-approved and are already being used in a variety of consumer applications, e.g., cosmetics and toiletries, food industries, cleaning and softening agents, pharmaceuticals, polymers and polymer additives, printing photographing materials, and electronics. Herein, we present the current status of dendritic PGs as functional dendritic architectures with particular focus on their application in nanomedicine, in drug, dye, and gene delivery, as well as in regenerative medicine in the form of non-fouling surfaces and matrix materials.