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Grundler J, Whang CH, Shin K, Savan NA, Zhong M, Saltzman WM. Modifying the Backbone Chemistry of PEG-Based Bottlebrush Block Copolymers for the Formation of Long-Circulating Nanoparticles. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2304040. [PMID: 38734871 PMCID: PMC11368614 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202304040] [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: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Nanoparticle physicochemical properties have received great attention in optimizing the performance of nanoparticles for biomedical applications. For example, surface functionalization with small molecules or linear hydrophilic polymers is commonly used to tune the interaction of nanoparticles with proteins and cells. However, it is challenging to control the location of functional groups within the shell for conventional nanoparticles. Nanoparticle surfaces composed of shape-persistent bottlebrush polymers allow hierarchical control over the nanoparticle shell but the effect of the bottlebrush backbone on biological interactions is still unknown. The synthesis is reported of novel heterobifunctional poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-norbornene macromonomers modified with various small molecules to form bottlebrush polymers with different backbone chemistries. It is demonstrated that micellar nanoparticles composed of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-PEG bottlebrush block copolymer (BBCP) with neutral and cationic backbone modifications exhibit significantly reduced cellular uptake compared to conventional unmodified BBCPs. Furthermore, the nanoparticles display long blood circulation half-lives of ≈22 hours and enhanced tumor accumulation in mice. Overall, this work sheds light on the importance of the bottlebrush polymer backbone and provides a strategy to improve the performance of nanoparticles in biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Grundler
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511 (USA)
| | - Chang-Hee Whang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511 (USA)
| | - Kwangsoo Shin
- Department of Polymer Science & Engineering and Environmental Engineering, Inha University, Incheon, 22212 (Korea), Inha University, Incheon, 22212 (Korea)
| | - N. Anna Savan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511 (USA), Medical Scientist Training Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510 (USA)
| | - Mingjiang Zhong
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511 (USA)
| | - W. Mark Saltzman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511 (USA), Department of Cellular & Molecular Physiology and Department of Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510 (USA)
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Jin Z, Seong HG, Srivastava S, McGlasson A, Emrick T, Muthukumar M, Russell TP. 3D Printing of Aqueous Two-Phase Systems with Linear and Bottlebrush Polyelectrolytes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202404382. [PMID: 38616164 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202404382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
We formed core-shell-like polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) from an anionic bottlebrush polymer with poly (acrylic acid) side chains with a cationic linear poly (allylamine hydrochloride). By varying the pH, the number of side chains of the polyanionic BB polymers (Nbb), the charge density of the polyelectrolytes, and the salt concentration, the phase separation behavior and salt resistance of the complexes could be tuned by the conformation of the BBs. By combining the linear/bottlebrush polyelectrolyte complexation with all-liquid 3D printing, flow-through tubular constructs were produced that showed selective transport across the PEC membrane comprising the walls of the tubules. These tubular constructs afford a new platform for flow-through delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zichen Jin
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, 120 Governors Drive, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Hong-Gyu Seong
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, 120 Governors Drive, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Satyam Srivastava
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, 120 Governors Drive, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Alex McGlasson
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, 120 Governors Drive, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Todd Emrick
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, 120 Governors Drive, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Murugappan Muthukumar
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, 120 Governors Drive, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Thomas P Russell
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, 120 Governors Drive, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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Akash TS, Ishraaq R, Das S. All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Uncharged Linear Polymer Bottlebrushes: Effect of the Brush Sizes and the Number of Side-Chain Monomers. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024. [PMID: 38295136 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Bottlebrush polymers (BBPs), characterized by grafted polymer side chains on linear backbone polymer chain, have emerged as a unique and versatile class of macromolecules with extensive applications in the fields of material science, electronics, battery materials, self-healing technology, etc. In this paper, we employ all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to present a comprehensive study of poly(methyl methacrylate)-g-poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PMMA-g-PEtOx) BBP and its structural and hydration properties for varying number of backbone monomers (NBB) and side chain monomers (NSC), as well as properties of water molecules supported by the BBP. We find that the radius of gyration follows a scaling of Rg ∼NSC0.36 for smaller grafts and Rg ∼ NSC0.52-0.58 for longer grafts. We also find that the overall shape of the bottlebrush goes from a rod to sphere-like shape with the increase in NSC. Both the hydration per side chain monomer and hydrogen bonds (HBs) per oxygen and nitrogen of the side chain monomer reduce with an increase in NSC, caused by a corresponding enhancement in localization of the side chain monomers in the interior of the BBP. Furthermore, steric influences ensure the number of water-oxygen HBs is much more than the number of water-nitrogen HBs (with oxygen and nitrogen atoms belonging to the monomer side chains). Also, the BBP-supported water molecules demonstrate two distinctly ordered domains with one more structured and one less structured. The more structured domain disappears with an increase in NSC that causes more side chain monomers to localize in the interior of the BBPs. Finally, we observe that despite the highly negative partial charges of the oxygen and nitrogen atoms (of the side chain monomers), the dipole orientation distributions of water molecules around these atoms exhibit the presence of a neutral environment rather than an anionic environment. Overall, we anticipate that our study will generate significant interest in probing the various BBP systems in greater atomistic detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanmay Sarkar Akash
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Raashiq Ishraaq
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Siddhartha Das
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
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Wang Z, Liu Q, Liu Q, Qi H, Li Y, Song DP. Self-Assembly and In Situ Quaternization of Triblock Bottlebrush Block Copolymers via Organized Spontaneous Emulsification for Effective Loading of DNA. Macromol Rapid Commun 2023; 44:e2300192. [PMID: 37194368 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202300192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Microspheres bearing large pores are useful in the capture and separation of biomolecules. However, pore size is typically poorly controlled, leading to disordered porous structures with limited performances. Herein, ordered porous spheres with a layer of cations on the internal surface of the nanopores are facilely fabricated in a single step for effective loading of DNA bearing negative charges. Triblock bottlebrush copolymers (BBCPs), (polynorbornene-g-polystyrene)-b-(polynorbornene-g-polyethylene oxide)-b-(polynorbornene-g-bromoethane) (PNPS-b-PNPEO-b-PNBr), are designed and synthesized for fabrication of the positively charged porous spheres through self-assembly and in situ quaternization during an organized spontaneous emulsification (OSE) process. Pore diameter as well as charge density increase with the increase of PNBr content, resulting in a significant increase of loading density from 4.79 to 22.5 ng µg-1 within the spheres. This work provides a general strategy for efficient loading and encapsulation of DNA, which may be extended to a variety of different areas for different real applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoxu Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
| | - Qiujun Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
| | - Qian Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, P. R. China
| | - Hao Qi
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, P. R. China
| | - Yuesheng Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
| | - Dong-Po Song
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
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