Functional aqueous assemblies of linear-dendron hybrids

Biocompatible Glycopolymer-PLA Amphiphilic Hybrid Block Copolymers with Unique Self-Assembly, Uptake, and Degradation Properties

The self-assembly of Janus-type amphiphilic hybrid block copolymers composed of hydrophilic/hydrophobic layers has shown promise for drug encapsulation and delivery. Saccharides have previously been incorporated to improve the biocompatibility of self-assembled structures; however, glycopolymer block copolymers have been less explored, and their structure-property relationships are not well understood. In this study, novel glycopolymer-branched poly(lactic acid) (PLA) block copolymers were synthesized via thiol-ene coupling and their composition-dependent morphologies were elucidated. Stability as a function of pH, dye uptake capabilities, and cytotoxicity were evaluated. Systems with a hydrophilic weight ratio of 30% were found to produce bilayer nanoparticles, while systems with a hydrophilic weight ratio of 60% form micelles upon self-assembly in aqueous media. Regardless of composition and morphology, all systems exhibited uptake of both hydrophobic (curcumin, DL % from 4.25 to 11.55) and hydrophilic (methyl orange, DL % from 4.08 to 5.88) dye molecules with release profiles dependent on composition. Furthermore, all of the nanoparticles exhibited low cytotoxicity, confirming their potential for biomedical applications.

Hydrophobicity as a tool for programming sequential mesophase transitions of enzyme-responsive polymeric amphiphiles

The ability of polymeric assemblies to undergo programmable cascades of mesophase transitions is prevalent in many systems in nature, where structural and functional features are tightly bound to maximize activity. In this study, we have examined the ability to program the mesophase transition rates of co-assembled enzyme-responsive polymeric micelles, through fine adjustments of the hydrophobicity of their amphiphilic components. We have utilized the different reactivities of di- and tri-block amphiphiles toward enzymatic degradation as a tool for programming formulations to undergo sequential enzymatically induced transitions from micelles to hydrogels and finally to dissolved polymers. By varying the aliphatic end-groups of PEG-dendron di-block and tri-block amphiphiles, we could demonstrate the remarkable impact of minor modifications to the di-block amphiphiles' structure and hydrophobicity on the transition rates between the different mesophases, ranging from a few hours to a week. Additionally, the study reveals how altering the relative hydrophobicity of its amphiphilic components influences the formulation ratio and enzymatic selectivity, as well as the stability and degradation rate of the resulting hydrogels. The findings underscore the importance of molecular architecture and hydrophobicity as key parameters in the design of programmable enzyme-responsive polymeric assemblies, offering insights into the ability to precisely control multi-step mesophase transitions for tailored functionality.

Hybrid Molecules Consisting of Lysine Dendrons with Several Hydrophobic Tails: A SCF Study of Self-Assembling

In this article, we used the numerical self-consistent field method of Scheutjens-Fleer to study the micellization of hybrid molecules consisting of one polylysine dendron with charged end groups and several linear hydrophobic tails attached to its root. The main attention was paid to spherical micelles and the determination of the range of parameters at which they can appear. A relationship has been established between the size and internal structure of the resulting spherical micelles and the length and number of hydrophobic tails, as well as the number of dendron generations. It is shown that the splitting of the same number of hydrophobic monomers from one long tail into several short tails leads to a decrease in the aggregation number and, accordingly, the number of terminal charges in micelles. At the same time, it was shown that the surface area per dendron does not depend on the number of hydrophobic monomers or tails in the hybrid molecule. The relationship between the structure of hybrid molecules and the electrostatic properties of the resulting micelles has also been studied. It is found that the charge distribution in the corona depends on the number of dendron generations G in the hybrid molecule. For a small number of generations (up to G=3), a standard double electric layer is observed. For a larger number of generations (G=4), the charges of dendrons in the corona are divided into two populations: in the first population, the charges are in the spherical layer near the boundary between the micelle core and shell, and in the second population, the charges are near the periphery of the spherical shell. As a result, a part of the counterions is localized in the wide region between them. These results are of potential interest for the use of spherical dendromicelles as nanocontainers for drug delivery.

Converting non-Mesogenic to Mesogenic Stacking of Amino-s-Triazine-Based Dendrons with p-CN Phenyl Unit by Eliminating Peripheral Dipole

Three new amino-s-triazine-based dendrons, 1a, 1b, and 1c, containing an aryl-CN moiety in the dendritic skeleton were prepared in 72–81% yields (1a: R¹ = − N(n-C₈H₁₇)₂, R² = n-OC₈H₁₇, 1b: R¹ = R² = − N(n-C₈H₁₇)₂, 1c: R¹ = − N(n-C₈H₁₇)₂, R² = − N(n-C₄H₉)₂). Dendrons 1a with N(n-C₈H₁₇)₂ and n-OC₈H₁₇ peripheral substituents, surprisingly, did not show any mesogenic phase during the thermal process. However, non-mesogenic 1a can be converted to mesogenic 1b or 1c by eliminating the peripheral dipole arising from the alkoxy substituent; dendron 1b only comprising the same N(n-C₈H₁₇)₂ peripheral groups showed a ~25 °C mesogenic range on heating and ~108 °C mesogenic range on cooling. In contrast, dendron 1c possessing different N(n-C_mH_2m+1)₂ (m = 8 versus m = 4) peripheral units, having similar stacking as 1b, exhibited a columnar phase on thermal treatment, but its mesogenic range (~9 and ~66 °C on heating and cooling, respectively) was much narrower than that of 1b, attributed to 1c’s less flexible alkyl chains in the peripheral part of dendron. Dendron 1a with the alkoxy substituent in the peripheral skeleton, creating additional dipole correspondingly, thus, leads to the dendritic molecules having a non-mesogenic stacking. Without the peripheral dipole for intermolecular side-by-side interaction, dendrons 1b and 1c exhibit a columnar phase on thermal treatment because of the vibration from the peripheral alkyl chain.

Dendron-Polymer Hybrids as Tailorable Responsive Coronae of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Functional composite materials that can change their spectral properties in response to external stimuli have a plethora of applications in fields ranging from sensors to biomedical imaging. One of the most promising types of materials used to design spectrally active composites are fluorescent single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), noncovalently functionalized by synthetic amphiphilic polymers. These coated SWCNTs can exhibit modulations in their fluorescence spectra in response to interactions with target analytes. Hence, identifying new amphiphiles with interchangeable building blocks that can form individual coronae around the SWCNTs and can be tailored for a specific application is of great interest. This study presents highly modular amphiphilic polymer-dendron hybrids, composed of hydrophobic dendrons and hydrophilic polyethylene glycol (PEG) that can be synthesized with a high degree of structural freedom, for suspending SWCNTs in aqueous solution. Taking advantage of the high molecular precision of these PEG-dendrons, we show that precise differences in the chemical structure of the hydrophobic end groups of the dendrons can be used to control the interactions of the amphiphiles with the SWCNT surface. These interactions can be directly related to differences in the intrinsic near-infrared fluorescence emission of the various chiralities in a SWCNT sample. Utilizing the susceptibility of the PEG-dendrons toward enzymatic degradation, we demonstrate the ability to monitor enzymatic activity through changes in the SWCNT fluorescent signal. These findings pave the way for a rational design of functional SWCNTs, which can be used for optical sensing of enzymatic activity in the near-infrared spectral range.

Size-Dependent Drug Loading, Gene Complexation, Cell Uptake, and Transfection of a Novel Dendron-Lipid Nanoparticle for Drug/Gene Co-delivery

Dendron micelles have shown promising results as a multifunctional delivery system, owing to their unique molecular architecture. Herein, we have prepared a novel poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendron-lipid hybrid nanoparticle (DLNP) as a nanocarrier for drug/gene co-delivery and examined how the dendron generation of DLNPs impacts their cargo-carrying capabilities. DLNPs, formed by a thin-layer hydration method, were internally loaded with chemo-drugs and externally complexed with plasmids. Compared to generation 2 dendron DLNP (D2LNPs), D3LNPs demonstrated a higher drug encapsulation efficiency (31% vs 87%) and better gene complexation (minimal N/P ratio of 20:1 vs 5:1 for complexation) due to their smaller micellar aggregation number and higher charge density, respectively. Furthermore, D3LNPs were able to avoid endocytosis and subsequent lysosomal degradation and demonstrated a higher cellular uptake than D2LNPs. As a result, D3LNPs exhibited significantly enhanced antitumor and gene transfection efficacy in comparison to D2LNPs. These findings provide design cues for engineering multifunctional dendron-based nanotherapeutic systems for effective combination cancer treatment.

Supramolecular Functionalizable Linear-Dendritic Block Copolymers for the Preparation of Nanocarriers by Microfluidics

Hybrid linear-dendritic block copolymers (LDBCs) having dendrons with a precise number of peripheral groups that are able to supramolecular bind functional moieties are challenging materials as versatile polymeric platforms for the preparation of functional polymeric nanocarriers. PEG2k-b-dxDAP LDBCs that are based on polyethylene glycol (PEG) as hydrophilic blocks and dendrons derived from bis-MPA having 2,6-diacylaminopyridine (DAP) units have been efficiently synthesized by the click coupling of preformed blocks, as was demonstrated by spectroscopic techniques and mass spectrometry. Self-assembly ability was first checked by nanoprecipitation. A reproducible and fast synthesis of aggregates was accomplished by microfluidics optimizing the total flow rate and phase ratio to achieve spherical micelles and/or vesicles depending on dendron generation and experimental parameters. The morphology and size of the self-assemblies were studied by TEM, Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy (cryo-TEM), and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The cytotoxicity of aggregates synthesized by microfluidics and the influence on apoptosis and cell cycle evaluation was studied on four cell lines. The self-assemblies are not cytotoxic at doses below 0.4 mg mL-1. Supramolecular functionalization using thymine derivatives was explored for reversibly cross-linking the hydrophobic blocks. The results open new possibilities for their use as drug nanocarriers with a dynamic cross-linking to improve nanocarrier stability but without hindering disassembly to release molecular cargoes.

Using High Molecular Precision to Study Enzymatically Induced Disassembly of Polymeric Nanocarriers: Direct Enzymatic Activation or Equilibrium-Based Degradation?

Enzyme-responsive polymers and their assemblies offer great potential to serve as key materials for the design of drug delivery systems and other biomedical applications. However, the utilization of enzymes to trigger the disassembly of polymeric amphiphiles, such as micelles, also suffers from the limited accessibility of the enzyme to moieties that are hidden inside the assembled structures. In this Perspective, we will discuss examples for the utilization of high molecular precision that dendritic structures offer to study the enzymatic degradation of polymeric amphiphiles with high resolution. Up to date, several different amphiphilic systems based on dendritic blocks have all shown that small changes in the hydrophobicity and amphiphilicity strongly affected the degree and rate of enzymatic degradation. The ability to observe the huge effects due to relatively small variations in the molecular structure of polymers can explain the limited enzymatic degradation that is often observed for many reported polymeric assemblies. The observed trends imply that the enzymes cannot reach the hydrophobic core of the micelles, and instead, they gain access to the amphiphiles by the unimer–micelle equilibrium, making the unimer exchange rate a key parameter in tuning the enzymatic degradation rate. Several approaches that are aimed at overcoming the stability–responsiveness challenge are discussed as they open the way to the design of stable and yet enzymatically responsive polymeric nanocarriers.

Evaluation of pH-dependent amphiphilic carbosilane dendrons in micelle formation, drug loading and HIV-1 infection

New amphiphilic carbosilane dendrons with pH-dependent behaviour based on the presence of carboxylate (propionate or succinate) groups at their peripheries and a fatty acid at the focal point were developed. In the presence of salts, they were able to form micelles with critical aggregation concentrations increasing with increasing dendron generation. Their thermodynamic parameters were calculated from surface tension measurements and their diameters at different pHs were measured by dynamic light scattering. These micelles were stable at basic pH but degraded under acidic conditions. No significant differences were found for the propionate and succinate based dendron micelles at basic or acidic pH, but the succinate dendron assemblies were more stable at neutral pH. The properties of these systems as drug nano-carriers were studied using both hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules, and the drug loading varied with the structure and charge of the drug. In addition, due to the presence of multiple negative charges, the dendrons exhibited anti-HIV activity. Higher generation dendrons with more peripheral carboxylates that were not assembled into micelles were more active than micelles composed of lower generation dendrons having fewer peripheral carboxylates.

Dendrimer-Mediated Targeted Delivery of Rapamycin to Tumor-Associated Macrophages Improves Systemic Treatment of Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma exhibits high mortality rates due to challenges with drug delivery to the brain and into solid tumors. This two-pronged barrier necessitates high doses of systemic therapies, resulting in significant off-target toxicities. Recently, dendrimer-nanomedicines (without ligands) have shown promise for targeting specific cells in brain tumors from systemic circulation, for improved efficacy and amelioration of systemic toxicities. A dendrimer-rapamycin conjugate (D-Rapa) is presented here that specifically targets tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in glioblastoma from systemic administration. D-Rapa improves suppression of pro-tumor expression in activated TAMs and antiproliferative properties of rapamycin in glioma cells in vitro. In vivo, D-Rapa localizes specifically within TAMs, acting as depots to release rapamycin into the tumor microenvironment. This targeted delivery strategy yields improved reduction in tumor burden and systemic toxicities in a challenging, clinically relevant orthotopic syngeneic model of glioblastoma, demonstrating the significant potential of dendrimers as targeted immunotherapies for improving glioblastoma treatment, still an unmet need.

Trastuzumab targeted micellar delivery of docetaxel using dendron–polymer conjugates

Incorporation of a therapeutic antibody into nanosized drug delivery systems can improve their target specificity.

Self-Assembly and Enzyme Responsiveness of Amphiphilic Linear-Dendritic Block Copolymers Based on Poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) and Dendritic Phenylalanyl-lysine Dipeptides

In this study, we present the synthesis, self-assembly, and enzyme responsive nature of a unique class of well-defined amphiphilic linear-dendritic block copolymers (PNVP-b-dendr(Phe-Lys)n, n = 1-3) based on linear poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PNVP) and dendritic phenylalanyl-lysine (Phe-Lys) dipeptides. The copolymers were prepared via a combination ofreversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) /xanthates (MADIX) polymerization of N-vinylpyrrolidone and stepwise peptide chemistry. The results of fluorescence spectroscopy, 1H NMR analyses, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and particle size analysis demonstrated that the copolymers self-assemble in aqueous solution into micellar nanocontainers that can disassemble and release encapsulated anticancer drug doxorubicin or hydrophobic dye Nile red by trigger of a serine protease trypsin under physiological conditions. The disassembly of the formed micelles and release rates of the drug or dye can be adjusted by changing the generation of dendrons in PNVP-b-dendr(Phe-Lys)n. Furthermore, the cytocompatibility of the copolymers have been confirmed using human lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) and human liver cancer cells (SMMC-7721). Due to the fact of their enzyme responsive properties and good biocompatibility, the copolymers may have potential applicability in smart controlled release systems capable of site-specific response.

Enzyme triggered disassembly of amphiphilic linear-dendritic block copolymer micelles based on poly[N-(2-hydroxyethyl-l-glutamine)]

New amphiphilic linear-dendritic diblock copolymers based on poly[N-(2-hydroxyethyl-l-glutamine)] have been synthesized, and their micellar assemblies can disassemble and release encapsulated molecular cargo upon enzymatic activation.

Vesicles from Amphiphilic Dumbbells and Janus Dendrimers: Bioinspired Self-Assembled Structures for Biomedical Applications

The current review focuses on vesicles obtained from the self-assembly of two types of dendritic macromolecules, namely amphiphilic Janus dendrimers (forming dendrimersomes) and amphiphilic dumbbells. In the first part, we will present some synthetic strategies and the various building blocks that can be used to obtain dendritic-based macromolecules, thereby showing their structural versatility. We put our focus on amphiphilic Janus dendrimers and amphiphilic dumbbells that form vesicles in water but we also encompass vesicles formed thereof in organic solvents. The second part of this review deals with the production methods of these vesicles at the nanoscale but also at the microscale. Furthermore, the influence of various parameters (intrinsic to the amphiphilic JD and extrinsic-from the environment) on the type of vesicle formed will be discussed. In the third part, we will review the numerous biomedical applications of these vesicles of nano- or micron-size.

Telodendrimers for Physical Encapsulation and Covalent Linking of Individual or Combined Therapeutics

New therapeutics for glioblastoma multiforme and our ability to deliver them using efficient nanocarriers constitute topical areas of research. We report a comparative study of temozolomide and quercetin in the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) in three-dimensions, and their incorporation into micelles obtained from synthetically articulated architectural copolymers, and a commercially available linear polymer poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PEG-PLGA). A versatile synthetic methodology to telodendrimers, which can be easily adapted to the needs of other therapeutic interventions, is presented. These dendritic block copolymers self-assemble into micelles and offer a platform for single or combination drug therapy. Telodendrimer micelles loaded with quercetin did not exhibit superior cell killing effect over the free drug, but acetazolamide, an inhibitor carbonic anhydrase IX, significantly reduced GBM cell viability in 3D spheroids. Results from these studies show that high loading of drugs into telodendrimer micelles requires a physical fit between the biologically active agent and telodendrimer nanocarrier, and points toward new possibilities for incorporation of chemotherapeutic and other agents to enhance their effectiveness.

Modular Synthetic Approach for Adjusting the Disassembly Rates of Enzyme-Responsive Polymeric Micelles

Self-assembled nanostructures and their stimuli-responsive degradation have been recently explored to meet the increasing need for advanced biocompatible and biodegradable materials for various biomedical applications. Incorporation of enzymes as triggers that can stimulate the degradation and disassembly of polymeric assemblies may be highly advantageous owing to their high selectivity and natural abundance in all living organisms. One of the key factors to consider when designing enzyme-responsive polymers is the ability to fine-tune the sensitivity of the platform toward its target enzyme in order to control the disassembly rate. In this work, a series of enzyme-responsive amphiphilic PEG-dendron hybrids with increasing number of hydrophobic cleavable end-groups was synthesized, characterized, and compared. These hybrids were shown to self-assemble in aqueous media into nanosized polymeric micelles, which could encapsulate small hydrophobic guests in their cores and release them upon enzymatic stimulus. Utilization of dendritic scaffolds as the responsive blocks granted ultimate control over the number of enzymatically cleavable end-groups. Remarkably, as we increased the number of end-groups, the micellar stability increased significantly and the range of enzymatic sensitivity spanned from highly responsive micelles to practically nondegradable ones. The reported results highlight the remarkable role of hydrophobicity in determining the micellar stability toward enzymatic degradation and its great sensitivity to small structural changes of the hydrophobic block, which govern the accessibility of the cleavable hydrophobic groups to the activating enzyme.

Preparation of core-crosslinked linear-dendritic copolymer micelles with enhanced stability and their application for drug solubilisation

In this study we explore the preparation of core-crosslinked micelles of linear-dendritic methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG)-co-poly(ester-sulfide) (PES) polymers to improve the stability of such polymeric micelle systems against premature disintegration and drug release. A series of MPEG-PES copolymers were synthesised via stepwise reactions of acetylation and thiol-ene photoreaction. Surface tension measurement showed that the copolymers with ethenyl surface groups could self-associate in dilute aqueous solutions to form micelles. Crosslinking within the micelle cores in the presence of dithioerythritol (DTT) linker was initiated under UV radiation. The formation of core-crosslinked micelles was confirmed by HPLC in combination with charged aerosol detection (CAD). The copolymers were found to readily hydrolyse under acidic conditions due to the ester-containing dendrons. Drug solubilisation capacities of the micellar solutions were determined using griseofulvin as a poorly water-soluble model drug. The solubility of griseofulvin showed a 10-fold enhancement in 1% w/v micelle solution and increased with the concentration of the copolymers. Drug release studies indicated that a more sustained release of griseofulvin was achieved for the core-crosslinked micelles compared to the non-crosslinked micelles, attributable to greater stability of the crosslinked core structure. The findings of this study present a new pathway towards developing biodegradable polymeric nanocarriers.

Molecular Precision and Enzymatic Degradation: From Readily to Undegradable Polymeric Micelles by Minor Structural Changes

Studying the enzymatic degradation of synthetic polymers is crucial for the design of suitable materials for biomedical applications ranging from advanced drug delivery systems to tissue engineering. One of the key parameters that governs enzymatic activity is the limited accessibility of the enzyme to its substrates that may be collapsed inside hydrophobic domains. PEG-dendron amphiphiles can serve as powerful tools for the study of enzymatic hydrolysis of polymeric amphiphiles due to the monodispersity and symmetry of the hydrophobic dendritic block, which significantly simplifies kinetic analyses. Using these hybrids, we demonstrate how precise, minor changes in the hydrophobic block are manifested into tremendous changes in the stability of the assembled micelles toward enzymatic degradation. The obtained results emphasize the extreme sensitivity of self-assembly and its great importance in regulating the accessibility of enzymes to their substrates. Furthermore, the demonstration that the structural differences between readily degradable and undegradable micelles are rather minor, points to the critical roles that self-assembly and polydispersity play in designing biodegradable materials.

Charge-reversible and pH-responsive biodegradable micelles and vesicles from linear-dendritic supramolecular amphiphiles for anticancer drug delivery

The linear-dendritic supramolecular amphiphiles could assemble into charge-reversible and pH-responsive biodegradable micelles and vesicles.

Synthesis, self-assembly, and immunological activity of α-galactose-functionalized dendron-lipid amphiphiles

Nanoassemblies presenting multivalent displays of biologically active carbohydrates are of significant interest for a wide array of biomedical applications ranging from drug delivery to immunotherapy. In this study, glycodendron-lipid hybrids were developed as a new and tunable class of dendritic amphiphiles. A modular synthesis was used to prepare dendron-lipid hybrids comprising distearylglycerol and 0 through 4th generation polyester dendrons with peripheral protected amines. Following deprotection of the amines, an isothiocyanate derivative of C-linked α-galactose (α-Gal) was conjugated to the dendron peripheries, affording amphiphiles with 1 to 16 α-Gal moieties. Self-assembly in water through a solvent exchange process resulted in vesicles for the 0 through 2^nd generation systems and micelles for the 3^rd and 4^th generation systems. The critical aggregation concentrations decreased with increasing dendron generation, suggesting that the effects of increasing molar mass dominated over the effects of increasing the hydrophilic weight fraction. The binding of the assemblies to Griffonia simplicifolia Lectin I (GSL 1), a protein with specificity for α-Gal was studied by quantifying the binding of fluorescently labeled assemblies to GSL 1-coated beads. It was found that binding was enhanced for amphiphiles containing higher generation dendrons. Despite their substantial structural differences with the natural ligands for the CD1d receptor, the glycodendron-lipid hybrids were capable of stimulating invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells, a class of innate-like T cells that recognize lipid and glycolipid antigens presented by CD1d and that are implicated in a wide range of diseases and conditions including but not limited to infectious diseases, diabetes and cancer.

Synthesis and solution properties of novel thermo- and pH-responsive poly(N-vinylcaprolactam)-based linear–dendritic block copolymers

This study describes the synthesis and solution properties of the novel linear–dendritic block copolymers (LDBCs) based on thermoresponsive poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PNVCL) chains and pH-responsive poly(benzyl ether) dendrons.

Supramolecular Architectures of Dendritic Amphiphiles in Water

Dendritic molecules are an exciting research topic because of their highly branched architecture, multiple functional groups on the periphery, and very pertinent features for various applications. Self-assembling dendritic amphiphiles have produced different nanostructures with unique morphologies and properties. Since their self-assembly in water is greatly relevant for biomedical applications, researchers have been looking for a way to rationally design dendritic amphiphiles for the last few decades. We review here some recent developments from investigations on the self-assembly of dendritic amphiphiles into various nanostructures in water on the molecular level. The main content of the review is divided into sections according to the different nanostructure morphologies resulting from the dendritic amphiphiles' self-assembly. Finally, we conclude with some remarks that highlight the self-assembling features of these dendritic amphiphiles.

A dumbbell-like supramolecular triblock copolymer and its self-assembly of light-responsive vesicles

The work reports a dumbbell-like supramolecular triblock copolymer and its self-assembly of light-responsive monolayer vesicles.

Supramolecular anticancer drug delivery systems based on linear–dendritic copolymers

The combination of two generations of polymers as linear–dendritic copolymers leads to hybrid systems with unique properties, which are of great interest for many applications. Herein, recent advances in anticancer drug delivery systems based on linear–dendritic copolymers have been reviewed.

Synthetic glycopolypeptides: synthesis and self-assembly of poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate)-glycosylated dendron hybrids

Polyester dendrons with peripheral α-galactose moieties were synthesized and coupled to poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate) to afford amphiphilic linear-dendron hybrid glycopolypeptides that self-assembled in water.