Synthetic poly(beta-hydroxyalkanoates) with carboxylic acid or primary amine pendent groups and their complexes

Oligo(serine ester) Charge-Altering Releasable Transporters: Organocatalytic Ring-Opening Polymerization and their Use for in Vitro and in Vivo mRNA Delivery

RNA technology is transforming life science research and medicine, but many applications are limited by the accessibility, cost, efficacy, and tolerability of delivery systems. Here we report the first members of a new class of dynamic RNA delivery vectors, oligo(serine ester)-based charge-altering releasable transporters (Ser-CARTs). Composed of lipid-containing oligocarbonates and cationic oligo(serine esters), Ser-CARTs are readily prepared (one flask) by a mild ring-opening polymerization using thiourea anions and, upon simple mixing with mRNA, readily form complexes that degrade to neutral serine-based products, efficiently releasing their mRNA cargo. mRNA/Ser-CART transfection efficiencies of >95% are achieved in vitro. Intramuscular or intravenous (iv) injections of mRNA/Ser-CARTs into living mice result in in vivo expression of a luciferase reporter protein, with spleen localization observed after iv injection.

Release of Polyanions from Polyelectrolyte Complexes by Selective Degradation of the Polycation

One of the major problems associated with analyzing polyelectrolyte complexes is the separation of strongly bound oppositely charged polymeric components. As part of a work aimed at better understanding the factors that affect polyelectrolyte complex formation and stability, an investigation of the possibility to release and analyze the polyanion, after hydrolytic or enzymatic degradation of the partner polycation, was made. Mixtures of poly(acrylic acid) or poly(L-lysine citramide) polyanions with poly(L-lysine) or poly(amino serinate) polycations were investigated. For each polycation-polyanion couple, four complex fractions were obtained by adding the polycation to the polyanion according to a titration protocol. The selective degradation of the polycation within the different complex fractions was investigated after the complex was disrupted with a NaCl solution. The molecular weights of the recovered polyanionic macromolecules were assessed by both static light scattering and size exclusion chromatography. The data supported previous findings that complexation was selective according to the molecular weight of the polyanion for a given polycation. The lower the degree of neutralization of the polyanion negative charges by the polycation positive charges, the greater the molecular weight of the complexed polyanionic macromolecules.

Nanoaggregates of biodegradable amphiphilic random polycations for delivering water-insoluble drugs

Cationic amphiphilic random copolyesters were obtained by copolymerization of 5-Z-amino-δ-valerolactone and ε-caprolactone. The amino content of the final copolymers was controlled by the polymerization feed ratio and was in the range 10 to 100%. Copolymers solubility and aggregation behavior was assessed by conductometric and zeta potential analyses. A critical aggregation concentration of ca. 0.05% (w/v) was found for all water-soluble copolymers that formed nanoaggregates. Two populations were found to be present in equilibrium with hydrodynamic diameters in the range of 30-50 and 100-250 nm. The capacity to use the amphiphilic and cationic character of the nanoaggregates to encapsulate highly hydrophobic compounds was further investigated. Finally, copolymers hemo- and cytocompatibility were evaluated by hemagglutination, hemolysis, and cells proliferation tests. The results showed that the proposed cationic amphiphilic random copolyesters are biocompatible.

Bioresorbable polyelectrolyte amphiphiles as nanosized carriers for lipophilic drug solubilization and delivery

Starting from drug carriers and drug-delivery systems described in the literature, this article examines more specifically those that are relevant to the field of nanocarriers composed of a degradable hydrophilic polyelectrolyte backbone with pendent hydrophobes arranged to form comb-like co-polymers. Advantage is taken of the nanosized, lipophilic pocket-bearing multimolecule aggregates formed in aqueous media by such amphiphilic polyelectrolytes to accommodate water-insoluble drug molecules according to a phenomenon named macromolecular microencapsulation. Comments are also made on the criteria to be fulfilled by nanosized polymeric drug carriers. These carriers require a size or molar mass high enough to avoid renal excretion and thus be retained in the body for longer periods of time than the free drug. Since they nevertheless have to be eliminated from the body (bioresorption), they must be degraded at the end of use. In situ degradation is an important criterion that is taken into account by using special polyelectrolytes that belong to the class of the so-called "artificial biopolymers". Artificial biopolymers are made of pro-metabolite units than generate metabolite upon degradation, thus resulting in metabolisation of degradation end-products if intermediates are not excreted before. Aggregates of amphiphilic polyanions derived from malic acid, citric acid, L-lysine and L-serine are presented to support the concept of macromolecular microencapsulation. Comparison is made with non-polyelectrolytic systems with similar structures.

Not any new functional polymer can be for medicine: what about artificial biopolymers?

Man-made artificial organic polymers are among the more recent sources of materials used by humans. In medicine, they contribute to applications in surgery, dentistry and pharmacology. Nowadays, innovations in the field of therapeutic polymers rely on novel polymers for specific applications such as guided tissue regeneration, tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, gene transfection, etc. Introducing reactive chemical functions within or along polymer backbones is an attractive route to generate functional polymers for medicine. However, any candidate to effective application must fulfil a number of requirements, grouped under the terms biocompatibility and biofunctionality, to be of real interest and have a future for effective application. Whenever the application requires a therapeutic aid for a limited period of time to help natural healing, bioresorbability is to be taken into account on top of biocompatibility and biofunctionality. This contribution presents the case of "artificial biopolymers" and discusses the potential of some members of the family with respect to temporary therapeutic applications that require functional polymers.

From polyesters to polyamides via O-N acyl migration: an original multi-transfer reaction

A new strategy for the synthesis of polyamides from polyesters of hydroxyl-containing amino acids using a multi O-N acyl transfer reaction was developed. This original approach allowed the synthesis of three generations of polymers from the same starting monomer. The polymerization of N-benzyloxycarbonyl-serine and its γ-homologated derivative provided the Z-protected polyesters; then the water-soluble polycationic polyesters were obtained by removal of the Z-protecting group; and finally the polyamides were obtained by a base-induced multi O-N acyl transfer, both in aqueous or organic medium. The key step transfer reaction was monitored by the disappearance and appearance of characteristic NMR proton signals and IR bands of polyesters and polyamides.

Dynamics of polyelectrolyte complex formation and stability when a polycation is progressively added to a polyanion under physico-chemical conditions modeling blood

The formation of polyelectrolyte complexes is known to depend on many factors, especially pH, temperature, and ionic strength, as well as acid—base properties and mixing conditions. In an approach aimed at by-passing the complexity of blood, the formation and the stability of complexes between oppositely charged polymers were studied in salted media (0.15N NaCl and 0.13 M, pH 7.4 PBS) at room temperature. Different molar masses of poly(L-lysine) were reacted with polyanions with different chemical structures and charge densities, namely: poly(acrylic acid), poly(L-lysine citramide), poly(L-lysine citramide imide), and poly(malic acid). A stepwise protocol was used to investigate the fractionation phenomena reported previously. After each addition, the precipitate was separated and analyzed. The polyanion macromolecules were fractionated according to their structure; no significant fractionation was observed for the polycation. The NaCl concentration, required to destabilize the complexes in the isolated fractions, was found to depend on the polycation molar mass and to vary linearly with log(polyanion Mw). Based on these data, the possible fate of polycationic species, and of polycation-based polyelectrolytic complex, when injected into blood, are addressed.

Chemical modification of therapeutic drugs or drug vector systems to achieve targeted therapy: looking for the grail

Most therapeutic drugs distribute to the whole body, which results in general toxicity and poor acceptance of the treatments by patients. The targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics to defined cells, either stromal or cancer cells in cancer lesions, or defined inflammatory cells in immunological disorders, is one of the main challenges and a very active field of research in the development of treatment strategies to minimize side-effects of drugs. Disease-associated cells express molecules, including proteases, receptors, or adhesion molecules, that are different or differently expressed than their normal counterparts. Therefore one goal in the field of targeted therapies is to develop chemically derivatized drugs or drug vectors able to target defined cells via specific recognition mechanisms and also able to overcome biological barriers. This article will review the approaches which have been explored to achieve these goals and will discuss in more detail three examples (i) the use of nanostructures to take advantage of increased vascular permeability in some human diseases, (ii) the targeting of therapeutic drugs to an organ, the brain, protected against foreign molecules by the blood-brain barrier, and (iii) the use of the folate receptor to target either tumor cells or activated macrophages.

Polyelectrolyte complex formation and stability when mixing polyanions and polycations in salted media: a model study related to the case of body fluids

Controlled drug delivery and gene transfection involve contact of artificial polyelectrolytic systems that can interact dramatically with biopolymers and cells when they are introduced in blood. Given the complexity of body aqueous media in terms of physical chemistry, a model approach was selected in attempt to understand the behavior of artificial polyelectrolytes introduced in body fluids. Selection in terms of molecular weight was highlighted in a previous paper. In the present study the formation and the stability of fractions obtained when a polycation is added to a polyanion according to a titrating process mimicking injection into blood was considered for different polycation/polyanion couples. Poly(amino serinate) and poly(L-lysine) were used as polybases, and poly(acrylic acid), poly(L-lysine citramide) and poly(L-lysine citramide imide) as polyacids. Four fractions corresponding to different positive/negative charge ratios were formed for each couple. At low polyion concentration (13 mg/L) and given salt concentration, the stability of the complex fractions depended on molecular weight and charge density of the polyions. The NaCl concentration required to destabilize the different interpolyelectrolyte complexes was found to decrease from the first fraction to the fourth one. Upon decreasing the salt concentration, macroscopic flocculation occurred in the case of PLL/PAA complex fractions only. For the other couples, dynamic light scattering showed that several hundreds nanometer sized particles were formed that were stable in a broad range of NaCl concentration, including the physiological 0.15 ionic strength. At higher polyion concentrations, stable solid precipitate was formed regardless of the system. The absence of flocculation in the case of highly diluted poly(L-lysine citramide) and poly(L-lysine citramide imide) polyanions in salted media is assigned to the presence of non-ionic hydroxyl and amide polar groups along the complexed chains. Data show that introducing non-ionic functions along the polyelectrolyte chains is a good means to keep interpolyelectrolyte complexes dispersed in salted media, a conclusion of interest in the field of condensation of genes by polycations.

Aliphatic Polyesters: Great Degradable Polymers That Cannot Do Everything†

Nowadays the open and the patent literatures propose a large number of polymers whose main chains can be degraded usefully. Among these degradable polymers, aliphatic polyester-based polymeric structures are receiving special attention because they are all more or less sensitive to hydrolytic degradation, a feature of interest when compared with the fact that living systems function in aqueous media. Only some of these aliphatic polyesters are enzymatically degradable. A smaller number is biodegradable, and an even more limited number is biorecyclable. To be of practical interest, a degradable polymer must fulfill many requirements that depend very much on the targeted application, on the considered living system, and on living conditions. It is shown that aliphatic polyester structures made of repeating units that can generate metabolites upon degradation or biodegradation like poly(beta-hydroxy alkanoate)s and poly(alpha-hydroxy alkanoate)s are of special interest. Their main characteristics are confronted to the specifications required by various potential sectors of applications, namely, surgery, pharmacology, and the environment. It is shown that degradation, bioresorption, and biorecycling that are targets when one wants to respect living systems are also drastic limiting factors when one wants to achieve a device of practical interest. Finding a universal polymer that would be the source of all the polymeric biomaterials needed to work in contact with living organisms of the various life kingdoms and respect them remains a dream. On the other hand, finding one polymeric structure than can fulfill the requirements of one niche application remains a big issue.

Chemical modification of chlorinated microbial polyesters

Chlorination of microbial polyesters poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate) (PHO) was carried out by passing chlorine gas through their solutions. The chlorine contents in chlorinated PHB (PHB-Cl) and chlorinated PHO (PHO-Cl) were between 5.45 and 23.81 wt % and 28.09 and 39.09 wt %, respectively. Molecular weights of the chlorinated samples were in the range of between one-half to one-fourth of the original values because of hydrolysis during the chlorination process. Thermal properties of the PHO-Cl were dramatically changed with an increase in its glass transition (T(g) = 2 degrees C) and the melting transition (T(m)). The T(g) of PHB-Cl varied from -20 to 10 degrees C, and its T(m) decreased to 148 degrees C. The chlorinated poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate)s (PHA-Cl) were converted to their corresponding quaternary ammonium salts (PHA-N(+)R(3)), sodium sulfate salts (PHA-S), and phenyl derivatives (PHA-Ph). Cross-linked polymers were also formed by a Friedel-Crafts reaction between benzene and PHA-Cl. The modified PHO derivatives were characterized by (1)H NMR and (13)C NMR spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, and differential scanning calorimetry techniques.

Development and characterization of cross-linked poly(malate) microspheres with dipyridamole

Biodegradable cross-linked microspheres containing up to 63 wt.% of the active substance were obtained in a polycondensation process between D,L-malic acid and the tetrahydroxy compound dipyridamole. The in vitro release mechanism from biodegradable cross-linked microspheres has been studied. It was found that dipyridamole was released due to two-step hydrolysis of the ester bonds of the network. Initially, the only product of the hydrolytic degradation was found to be an oligomeric ester fraction with M(w)=1000 Da. The release of the free drug started after 8 days due to a further hydrolysis of the oligomers in solution. It was found that blood plasma enzymes in rats did not affect the hydrolytic processes. Biodegradable poly(malate) microspheres containing an anti-aggregating agent dipyridamole can be considered as a novel drug delivery system for a prolonged period of time implying a future parenteral application.