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Miglani C, Ralhan J, Banoo M, Nath D, Sil S, Pal SK, Gautam UK, Pal A. Stimuli-Responsive Control over Self-Assembled Nanostructures in Sequence-Specific Functional Block Copolymers. ACS POLYMERS AU 2024; 4:255-265. [PMID: 38882035 PMCID: PMC11177304 DOI: 10.1021/acspolymersau.4c00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
The precise sequence of a protein's primary structure is essential in determining its folding pathways. To emulate the complexity of these biomolecules, functional block copolymers consisting of segmented triblocks with distinct functionalities positioned in a sequence-specific manner are designed to control the polymer chain compaction. Triblock polymers P- b -C- b -F and P- b -F- b -C and random diblock copolymer P- b -C- r -F consist of a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) block and a hydrophobic block with coumarin (C) and ferrocene (F) moieties that are grafted in a sequence-specific or random manner onto the hydrophilic block. External stimuli such as UVB light, redox, and chemical cues influence the functional hydrophobic block to alter the packing parameters that are monitored with spectroscopic and scattering techniques. Interestingly, the positioning of the stimuli-responsive moiety within the hydrophobic block of P- b -C- b -F, P- b -F- b -C, and P- b -C- r -F affects the extent of the hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance in block copolymers that renders orthogonal control in stimuli-responsive transformation of self-assembled vesicles to micelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chirag Miglani
- Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Jahanvi Ralhan
- Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Maqsuma Banoo
- Department of Chemical Sciences, IISER Mohali, Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Debasish Nath
- Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Soma Sil
- Department of Chemical Sciences, IISER Mohali, Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Santanu K Pal
- Department of Chemical Sciences, IISER Mohali, Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Ujjal K Gautam
- Department of Chemical Sciences, IISER Mohali, Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
| | - Asish Pal
- Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Knowledge City, Sector 81, Mohali, Punjab 140306, India
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Battistelli G, Proetto M, Mavridi-Printezi A, Calvaresi M, Danielli A, Constantini PE, Battistella C, Gianneschi NC, Montalti M. Local detection of pH-induced disaggregation of biocompatible micelles by fluorescence switch ON. Chem Sci 2022; 13:4884-4892. [PMID: 35655864 PMCID: PMC9067588 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc00304j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorogenic nanoparticles (NPs) able to sense different physiological environments and respond with disaggregation and fluorescence switching OFF/ON are powerful tools in nanomedicine as they can combine diagnostics with therapeutic action. pH-responsive NPs are particularly interesting as they can differentiate cancer tissues from healthy ones, they can drive selective intracellular drug release and they can act as pH biosensors. Controlled polymerization techniques are the basis of such materials as they provide solid routes towards the synthesis of pH-responsive block copolymers that are able to assemble/disassemble following protonation/deprotonation. Ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), in particular, has been recently exploited for the development of experimental nanomedicines owing to the efficient direct polymerization of both natural and synthetic functionalities. Here, we capitalize on these features and provide synthetic routes for the design of pH-responsive fluorogenic micelles via the assembly of ROMP block-copolymers. While detailed photophysical characterization validates the pH response, a proof of concept experiment in a model cancer cell line confirmed the activity of the biocompatible micelles in relevant biological environments, therefore pointing out the potential of this approach in the development of novel nano-theranostic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Battistelli
- Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician" Via Selmi 2 Bologna 40126 Italy
| | - Maria Proetto
- Department of Chemistry Northwestern University Evanston IL 60208 USA
| | | | - Matteo Calvaresi
- Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician" Via Selmi 2 Bologna 40126 Italy
| | - Alberto Danielli
- FaBiT, Department of Pharmacy & Biotechnology, University of Bologna via Selmi 3 40126 Bologna Italy
| | - Paolo Emidio Constantini
- FaBiT, Department of Pharmacy & Biotechnology, University of Bologna via Selmi 3 40126 Bologna Italy
| | | | - Nathan C Gianneschi
- Department of Chemistry Northwestern University Evanston IL 60208 USA.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering Northwestern University Evanston IL 60208 USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering Northwestern University Evanston IL 60208 USA
| | - Marco Montalti
- Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician" Via Selmi 2 Bologna 40126 Italy
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