Hyperbranched Glycopolymers for Blood Biocompatibility

Construction of Peptide-Lipoic Acid Cationic Polymers with Redox Responsiveness and Low Toxicity for Gene Delivery

As gene therapy continues to evolve, the development of safe and effective cationic polymer carriers is critical. In this work, three polymers have been prepared by ring-opening polymerization on the basis of peptide-lipoic acid monomers. By adjusting the sequence of the peptides, redox-responsive cationic polymers with different positive charge numbers were obtained, as well as investigating their performance as gene carriers. The results showed that the polymers complexed with negatively charged genes by electrostatic interaction and successfully transported the genes into the cells, additionally degrading and releasing the genes under glutathione (GSH) conditions. Furthermore, the polymers as gene carriers in different cell lines demonstrated lower cytotoxicity, with an excellent cell survival rate of 8 times higher than the "gold standard" polyethylenimine (PEI) at the same concentration. In vitro transfection experiments showed that the polymers successfully released and transfected genes into cells, demonstrating their immense potential in gene therapy.

Glycopolymer based LbL Multilayer Thin Films with Embedded Liposomes

Layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly emerged as an efficient technique for fabricating coating systems for, e.g., drug delivery systems with great versatility and control. In this work, we describe protecting group free and aqueous-based syntheses of bioinspired glycopolymer electrolytes. Thin films of the glycopolymers are fabricated by LbL self-assembly and function as scaffolds for liposomes, which potentially can encapsulate active substances. We investigate the adsorbed mass, pH stability and integrity of glycopolymer coatings as well as the embedded liposomes via whispering gallery mode (WGM) technology and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) monitoring, which enable label-free characterization. Glycopolymer thin films, with and without liposomes, are stable in the physiological pH range. QCM-D measurements verify the integrity of lipid vesicles. Thus, we present the fabrication of glycopolymer-based surface coatings with embedded and intact liposomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Enzymatically releasable polyethylene glycol - host defense peptide conjugates with improved activity and biocompatibility

Host defense peptides (HDPs) have been the subject of great interest for the treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections due to their multimodal activity and low induction of resistance. However, aggregation, toxicity, and short biological half-life have limited their applicability for clinical treatment. Many methods have been explored to alleviate these issues, such as polymer (e.g., polyethylene glycol (PEG)) conjugation, but these are often accompanied by reductions in the activity of the HDP. Here, we detail the design of a novel PEG-HDP conjugate incorporating an enzymatic cleavage sequence targeting matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that accumulate at sites of inflammation and infection. Addition of the cleavage sequence onto either the N- or the C-terminal region of the parent peptide (peptide 73, a derivative of the HDP aurein 2.2) was explored to determine the location for optimal antimicrobial activity following MMP cleavage; furthermore, the susceptibility of the peptide to MMP cleavage after conjugation to 2 kDa or 5 kDa PEG was examined. The top candidate, L73, utilized an N-terminal cleavage site that was subsequently conjugated to a 2 kDa PEG polymer. Both L73 and the conjugate exhibited no antimicrobial activity in vitro until cleaved by purified MMP, which liberated a peptide fragment with 16- or 63-fold improved activity, respectively, corresponding to a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 8 μg/mL, comparable to that of peptide 73 (4 μg/mL). Furthermore, PEG conjugation improved the blood compatibility and reduced the aggregation tendency of the HDP in vitro, indicating enhanced biocompatibility. When administered as a single subcutaneous dose (~3.6 mg, or a peptide concentration of 142 mg/kg) in a mouse abscess model of high-density methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, the conjugate displayed strong activity, reducing abscess size and bacterial load by 73.3% and 58-fold, respectively. This activity was completely lost when the cleavage site was rendered resistant to MMPs by the substitution of two d-amino acids, supporting the hypothesis that antimicrobial activity was dependent on cleavage by MMPs, which were shown here to increasingly accumulate at the abscess site up to 18 h post infection. Finally, the conjugate displayed biocompatibility in vivo, with no identifiable toxicity or aggregation.

Vascular and Blood Compatibility of Engineered Cationic Cellulose Nanocrystals in Cell-Based Assays

An emerging interest regarding nanoparticles (NPs) concerns their potential immunomodulatory and pro-inflammatory activities, as well as their impact in the circulatory system. These biological activities of NPs can be related to the intensity and type of the responses, which can raise concerns about adverse side effects and limit the biomedical applicability of these nanomaterials. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a library of cationic cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) in the human blood and endothelial cells using cell-based assays. First, we evaluated whether the cationic CNCs would cause hemolysis and aggregation or alteration on the morphology of red blood cells (RBC). We observed that although these nanomaterials did not alter RBC morphology or cause aggregation, at 24 h exposure, a mild hemolysis was detected mainly with unmodified CNCs. Then, we analyzed the effect of various concentrations of CNCs on the cell viability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in a time-dependent manner. None of the cationic CNCs caused a dose-response decrease in the cell viability of HUVEC at 24 h or 48 h of exposure. The findings of this study, together with the immunomodulatory properties of these cationic CNCs previously published, support the development of engineered cationic CNCs for biomedical applications, in particular as vaccine nanoadjuvants.

Inhibition of S. aureus-Infection of HUVECs by Trehalose and Glucose-functionalized Gold Nanoparticles

Microbial adhesion to host cells represents the initial step in the infection process. Several methods have been explored to inhibit microbial adhesion including the use of glycopolymers based on mannose, galactose, sialic acid and glucose. These sugar receptors are however abundant in the body and they are not unique to bacteria. Trehalose in contrast is a unique disaccharide that is wildly expressed by microbes. This carbohydrate has not yet been explored as an anti-adhesive. Herein, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) coated with trehalose-based polymers were prepared and compared to glucose-functionalized AuNPs and examined for their ability to prevent binding to endothelial cells. Acting as anti-adhesive, trehalose-functionalized nanoparticles decreased the binding of S. aureus to HUVEC cells, while outperforming the control nanoparticles. Microscopy revealed that trehalose coated nanoparticle bound strongly to S. aureus compared to the controls. In conclusion, nanoparticles based on trehalose could be a non-toxic alternative to inhibit S. aureus infection.

A light-activated nanotherapeutic with broad-spectrum bacterial recognition to eliminate drug-resistant pathogens

Obstinate infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria severely threaten human health. And the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria increases the morbidity and mortality of patients, thus necessitating the development of innovative or alternative therapeutics. Here, a light-activated nanotherapeutic with broad-spectrum bacterial recognition is established as an antibiotic-free therapeutic agent against pathogens. The nanotherapeutic with external phenylboronic acid-based glycopolymers increases the stability and biocompatibility and shows the ability of bacterial recognition. Once irradiated with near-infrared light, this nanotherapeutic with high photothermal conversion efficiency disrupts the cytoplasmic membrane, thus killing bacterial cells. Importantly, it also eliminates the biofilms formed by both drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) effectively. Thus, this antibiotic-free nanotherapeutic with hypotoxicity offers a promising approach to fight increasingly serious antimicrobial resistance.

Effects of Stereochemistry and Hydrogen Bonding on Glycopolymer-Amyloid-β Interactions

Saccharide stereochemistry plays an important role in carbohydrate functions such as biological recognition processes and protein binding. Synthetic glycopolymers with pendant saccharides of controlled stereochemistry provide an attractive approach for the design of polysaccharide-inspired biomaterials. Acrylamide-based polymers containing either β,d-glucose or β,d-galactose pendant groups, designed to mimic GM1 ganglioside saccharides, and their small-molecule analogues were used to evaluate the effect of stereochemistry on glycopolymer solution aggregation processes alone and in the presence of Aβ42 peptide using dynamic light scattering, gel permeation chromatography-multiangle laser light scattering, and fluorescence assays. Fourier transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were employed to determine hydrogen bonding patterns of the systems. The galactose-containing polymer displayed significant intramolecular hydrogen bonding and self-aggregation and minimal association with Aβ42, while the glucose-containing glycopolymers showed intermolecular interactions with the surrounding environment and association with Aβ42. Saturation transfer difference NMR spectroscopy demonstrated different binding affinities for the two glycopolymers to Aβ42 peptide.

Protein Aggregation Nucleated by Functionalized Dendritic Polyglycerols

Dendritic polyglycerols (dPGs) are emerging as important polymers for the study of biological processes due to their relatively low toxicity and excellent biocompatibility. The highly branched nature and high density of endgroups make the dPGs particularly attractive frameworks for the study of multivalent interactions such as multivalent protein-carbohydrate interactions. Here, we report the synthesis of a series of lactose functionalized dPGs with different hydrodynamic radii. A series of lactose functionalized dPGs bearing different densities of lactose functional groups was also synthesized. These lactose functionalized dPGs were used to study the templated aggregation of galectin-3, a galactoside binding protein that is overexpressed during many processes involved in cancer progression. Dynamic light scattering measurements revealed a direct correlation between the hydrodynamic radii of the lactose functionalized dPGs and the size of the galectin-3/lactose functionalized dPG aggregates formed upon mixing the lactose functionalized dPGs with galectin-3 in solution. These studies exposed the critical role of galectin-3's N-terminal domain in formation of galectin-3 multimers and also enabled comparisons of polymer templated aggregation using nonspecific interactions versus specific protein-carbohydrate binding interactions.

Dextran-based coacervate nanodroplets as potential gene carriers for efficient cancer therapy

The intractable toxicity of cationic polymers limits their applicability in gene transport and controlled release. In consideration of the good biocompatibility and biofunctionality of dextran, herein we design and synthesize two types of amino group-containing cationic copolymers based on dextran by the copolymerization of cationic monomers from dextran backbones. Additionally, allyl crosslinkers containing disulfide bonds were introduced into polymerization, that made the copolymer crosslinked by disulfide. The resultant coacervates were formed from the self-assembly of cationic coplymers and anionic genes, and redox-responsive disulfide branch points endow coacervates with reducing environment responsiveness. The in vitro experiments showed that the dextran-based coacervates were sensitive to the reducing environment and underwent cleavage, which resulted in an effective release, uptake, and transfection of the genes by 293T cells. In addition, dextran-based coacervates can be used to carry siRNA into cancer cells with a high transfection efficiency, demonstrating their potential applicability in treatment against cancer.

Hydroxyl-Rich PGMA-Based Cationic Glycopolymers for Intracellular siRNA Delivery: Biocompatibility and Effect of Sugar Decoration Degree

The ErbB family of proteins, structurally related to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), is found to be overexpressed in many cancers such as gliomas, a lung and cervical carcinomas. Gene therapy allows to modify the expression of genes like ErbB and has been a promising strategy to target oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. In the current work, novel hydroxyl-rich poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA)-based cationic glycopolymers were designed for intracellular small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery to silence the EGFR gene. The cationic polymers with different sugar decoration degrees (0, 9, and 33%) were synthesized by ring-opening reaction of PGMA with ethanolamine and a lactobionic acid-derived aminosaccharide (Lac-NH₂). Specific EGFR knockdown of the protein tyrosine kinase ErbB-overexpressing HeLa cells was achieved using these hydroxyl-rich polycation/siRNA complexes. Higher sugar content improved the biocompatibility of the polymers, but it also seems to decrease the EGFR knockdown capability, which should mainly be related to the surface charge of polyplexes. An optimum balance was observed with PGEL-1 (9% sugar content) formulation, achieving ∼52% knockdown efficiency as well as high cell viability. Considering the specific recognition between galactose residues and asialoglycoprotein receptor in hepatocytes, our novel PGMA-based cationic glycopolymers exhibited promising future to serve as a safe and targeting gene delivery vector to hepatoma cell line like HepG2.

Aurein-Derived Antimicrobial Peptides Formulated with Pegylated Phospholipid Micelles to Target Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Skin Infections

Antimicrobial peptides have been the focus of considerable research; however, issues associated with toxicity and aggregation have the potential to limit clinical applications. Here, a derivative of a truncated version of aurein 2.2 (aurein 2.2Δ3), namely peptide 73, was investigated, along with its d-amino acid counterpart (D-73) and a retro-inverso version (RI-73). A version that incorporated a cysteine residue to the C-terminus (73c) was also generated, as this form is required to covalently attach antimicrobial peptides to polymers (e.g., polyethylene glycol (PEG) or hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPG)). The antimicrobial activity of the 73-derived peptides was enhanced 2- to 8-fold, and all the derivatives eradicated preformed Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. Formulation of the peptides with compatible polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified phospholipid micelles alleviated toxicity toward human cells and reduced aggregation. When evaluated in vivo, the unformulated d-enantiomers aggregated when injected under the skin of mice, but micelle encapsulated peptides were well absorbed. Pegylated micelle formulated peptides were investigated for their potential as therapeutic agents for treating high-density infections in a murine cutaneous abscess model. Formulated peptide 73 reduced abscess size by 36% and bacterial loads by 2.2-fold compared to the parent peptide aurein 2.2Δ3. Micelle encapsulated peptides 73c and D-73 exhibited superior activity, further reducing abscess sizes by 85% and 63% and lowering bacterial loads by 510- and 9-fold compared to peptide 73.

Hyperbranched Glycopolymers of 2-(α-d-Mannopyranose) Ethyl Methacrylate and N,N'-Methylenebisacrylamide: Synthesis, Characterization and Multivalent Recognitions with Concanavalin A

A series of novel hyperbranched poly[2-(α-d-mannopyranosyloxy) ethyl methacrylate-co-N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide] (HPManEMA-co-MBA) are synthesized via a reversible addition fragmentation polymerization (RAFT). The dosage ratios of linear and branch units are tuned to obtain different degree of branching (DB) in hyperbranched glycopolymers. The DB values are calculated according to the content of nitrogen, which are facilely determined by elemental analysis. The lectin-binding properties of HPManEMA-co-MBA to concanavalin A (ConA) are examined using a turbidimetric assay. The influence of defined DB value and molecular weight of HPManEMA-co-MBA on the clustering rate is studied. Notably, HPManEMA-co-MBAs display a low cytotoxicity in the MTT assay, thus are potential candidates for biomedical applications.

Complete Depolymerization and Repolymerization of a Sugar Poly(orthoester)

The capability of a polymer to depolymerize, regenerating its original monomer for further polymerization, is very attractive in terms of sustainability. Recently discovered sugar poly(orthoesters) are an important class of glycopolymer. The high sensitivity of the backbone orthoester linkage toward acidolysis provides a valuable model to study the depolymerization. Herein, a sugar poly(orthoester) is shown to be completely depolymerized under acidic conditions. Interestingly, instead of the original monomer, the depolymerization gave a stable cyclic product (1,6-anhydro glucopyranose) in most cases, which was kinetically and thermodynamically favored. However, this pathway could be inhibited by chemically deactivating a key intermediate and thus favoring the formation of the original monomer. Efficient repolymerizaton of the regenerated monomer is also demonstrated.

Polymers for binding of the gram-positive oral pathogen Streptococcus mutans

Streptococcus mutans is the most significant pathogenic bacterium implicated in the formation of dental caries and, both directly and indirectly, has been associated with severe conditions such as multiple sclerosis, cerebrovascular and peripheral artery disease. Polymers able to selectively bind S. mutans and/or inhibit its adhesion to oral tissue in a non-lethal manner would offer possibilities for addressing pathogenicity without selecting for populations resistant against bactericidal agents. In the present work two libraries of 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (pDMAEMA)-based polymers were synthesized with various proportions of either N,N,N-trimethylethanaminium cationic- or sulfobetaine zwitterionic groups. These copolymers where initially tested as potential macromolecular ligands for S. mutans NCTC 10449, whilst Escherichia coli MG1655 was used as Gram-negative control bacteria. pDMAEMA-derived materials with high proportions of zwitterionic repeating units were found to be selective for S. mutans, in both isolated and S. mutans-E. coli mixed bacterial cultures. Fully sulfobetainized pDMAEMA was subsequently found to bind/cluster preferentially Gram-positive S. mutans and S. aureus compared to Gram negative E. coli and V. harveyi. A key initial stage of S. mutans pathogenesis involves a lectin-mediated adhesion to the tooth surface, thus the range of potential macromolecular ligands was further expanded by investigating two glycopolymers bearing α-mannopyranoside and β-galactopyranoside pendant units. Results with these polymers indicated that preferential binding to either S. mutans or E. coli can be obtained by modulating the glycosylation pattern of the chosen multivalent ligands without incurring unacceptable cytotoxicity in a model gastrointestinal cell line. Overall, our results allowed to identify a structure-property relationship for the potential antimicrobial polymers investigated, and suggest that preferential binding to Gram-positive S. mutans could be achieved by fine-tuning of the recognition elements in the polymer ligands.

Hemocompatibility of Degrading Polymeric Biomaterials: Degradable Polar Hydrophobic Ionic Polyurethane versus Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) Acid

The use of degradable polymers in vascular tissue regeneration has sparked the need to characterize polymer biocompatibility during degradation. While tissue compatibility has been frequently addressed, studies on polymer hemocompatibility during degradation are limited. The current study evaluated the differences in hemocompatibility (platelet response, complement activation, and coagulation cascade initiation) between as-made and hydrolyzed poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) and degradable polar hydrophobic ionic polyurethane (D-PHI). Platelet activation decreased (in whole blood) and platelet adhesion decreased (in blood without leukocytes) for degraded versus as-made PLGA. D-PHI showed minimal hemocompatibility changes over degradation. Leukocytes played a major role in mediating platelet activation for samples and controls, as well as influencing platelet-polymer adhesion on the degraded materials. This study demonstrates the importance of assessing the blood compatibility of biomaterials over the course of degradation since the associated changes in surface chemistry and physical state could significantly change biomaterial hemocompatibility.

Hemocompatibility studies on a degradable polar hydrophobic ionic polyurethane (D-PHI)

Biomaterial blood compatibility is a complex process that involves four key pathways, including the coagulation cascade, the complement system, platelets, and leukocytes. While many studies have addressed the initial contact of blood with homopolymeric (e.g. Teflon) or simple copolymeric (e.g. Dacron) biomaterials, relatively less attention has been given to investigating blood coagulation with respect to complex copolymeric systems containing well defined and diverse function. The current study sought to assess the hemocompatibility of a complex polyurethane (PU) containing a unique combination of polar, hydrophobic, and ionic domains (D-PHI). This included a whole blood (WB) study, followed by tests on the intrinsic and extrinsic coagulation pathways, complement activation, platelet activation, and an assessment of the effect of leukocytes on platelet-biomaterial interactions. A small increase in blood clot formation was observed on D-PHI in WB; however, there was no significant increase in clotting via the intrinsic coagulation cascade. No significant increase in platelet adhesion and only a very slight increase in platelet activation were observed in comparison to albumin-coated substrates (negative control). D-PHI showed mild complement activation and increased initiation of the extrinsic pathway of coagulation, along with the observation that leukocytes were important in mediating platelet-biomaterial interactions. It is proposed that complement is responsible for activating coagulation by inciting leukocytes to generate tissue factor (TF), which causes extrinsic pathway activation. This low level of blood clotting on D-PHI's surface may be necessary for the beneficial wound healing of vascular constructs that has been previously reported for this material.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Understanding the hemocompatibility of devices intended for blood-contacting applications is important for predicting device failure. Hemocompatibility is a complex parameter (affected by at least four different mechanisms) that measures the level of thrombus generation and immune system activation resulting from blood-biomaterial contact. The complexity of hemocompatibility implies that homopolymers are unlikely to solve the clotting challenges that face most biomaterials. Diversity in surface chemistry (containing hydrophobic, ionic, and polar domains) obtained from engineered polyurethanes can lead to favourable interactions with blood. The current research considered the effect of a highly functionalized polyurethane biomaterial on all four mechanisms in order to provide a comprehensive in vitro measure of the hemocompatibility of this unique material and the important mechanisms at play.

Effect of Extreme Wettability on Platelet Adhesion on Metallic Implants: From Superhydrophilicity to Superhydrophobicity

In order to design antithrombotic implants, the effect of extreme wettability (superhydrophilicity to superhydrophobicity) on the biocompatibility of the metallic substrates (stainless steel and titanium) was investigated. The wettability of the surface was altered by chemical treatments and laser ablation methods. The chemical treatments generated different functionality groups and chemical composition as evident from XPS analysis. The micro/nanopatterning by laser ablation resulted in three different pattern geometry and different surface roughness and consequently wettability. The patterned surface were further modified with chemical treatments to generate a wide range of surface wettability. The influence of chemical functional groups, pattern geometry, and surface wettability on protein adsorption and platelet adhesion was studied. On chemically treated flat surfaces, the type of hydrophilic treatment was shown to be a contributing factor that determines the platelet adhesion, since the hydrophilic oxidized substrates exhibit less platelet adhesion in comparison to the control untreated or acid treated surfaces. Also, the surface morphology, surface roughness, and superhydrophobic character of the surfaces are contributing factors to platelet adhesion on the surface. Our results show that superhydrophobic cauliflower-like patterns are highly resistant to platelet adhesion possibly due to the stability of Cassie-Baxter state for this pattern compared to others. Our results also show that simple surface treatments on metals offer a novel way to improve the hemocompatibility of metallic substrates.

The transition from linear to highly branched poly(β-amino ester)s: Branching matters for gene delivery

Nonviral gene therapy holds great promise but has not delivered treatments for clinical application to date. Lack of safe and efficient gene delivery vectors is the major hurdle. Among nonviral gene delivery vectors, poly(β-amino ester)s are one of the most versatile candidates because of their wide monomer availability, high polymer flexibility, and superior gene transfection performance both in vitro and in vivo. However, to date, all research has been focused on vectors with a linear structure. A well-accepted view is that dendritic or branched polymers have greater potential as gene delivery vectors because of their three-dimensional structure and multiple terminal groups. Nevertheless, to date, the synthesis of dendritic or branched polymers has been proven to be a well-known challenge. We report the design and synthesis of highly branched poly(β-amino ester)s (HPAEs) via a one-pot "A2 + B3 + C2"-type Michael addition approach and evaluate their potential as gene delivery vectors. We find that the branched structure can significantly enhance the transfection efficiency of poly(β-amino ester)s: Up to an 8521-fold enhancement in transfection efficiency was observed across 12 cell types ranging from cell lines, primary cells, to stem cells, over their corresponding linear poly(β-amino ester)s (LPAEs) and the commercial transfection reagents polyethyleneimine, SuperFect, and Lipofectamine 2000. Moreover, we further demonstrate that HPAEs can correct genetic defects in vivo using a recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa graft mouse model. Our findings prove that the A2 + B3 + C2 approach is highly generalizable and flexible for the design and synthesis of HPAEs, which cannot be achieved by the conventional polymerization approach; HPAEs are more efficient vectors in gene transfection than the corresponding LPAEs. This provides valuable insight into the development and applications of nonviral gene delivery and demonstrates great prospect for their translation to a clinical environment.

Dendritic Polymers for Theranostics

Dendritic polymers are highly branched polymers with controllable structures, which possess a large population of terminal functional groups, low solution or melt viscosity, and good solubility. Their size, degree of branching and functionality can be adjusted and controlled through the synthetic procedures. These tunable structures correspond to application-related properties, such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, stimuli-responsiveness and self-assembly ability, which are the key points for theranostic applications, including chemotherapeutic theranostics, biotherapeutic theranostics, phototherapeutic theranostics, radiotherapeutic theranostics and combined therapeutic theranostics. Up to now, significant progress has been made for the dendritic polymers in solving some of the fundamental and technical questions toward their theranostic applications. In this review, we briefly summarize how to control the structures of dendritic polymers, the theranostics-related properties derived from their structures and their theranostics-related applications.

Hemocompatibility evaluation for peptide fragments of human serum albumin cleaved by cyanogens bromide

We have previously demonstrated that peptide fragments of human serum albumin can be developed into potential renal targeting drug carriers. However, the interactions of these peptide fragments with red blood cells and plasma components are not evaluated well and there is yet no report on the evaluation of the hemocompatibility of peptide fragments. In this study, three kinds of peptide fragments were prepared and identified by amino acid analysis, and the blood compatibility of the peptide fragments was investigated by measuring blood coagulation, platelet and complement activation and hemolysis activity. Results indicated that all the peptide fragments prepared were highly hemocompatible without causing any clot formation, red blood cell aggregation or immune response. In addition, data from the cytotoxicity assay using HeLa cells and Madin-Darby canine kidney cells suggested that these peptide fragments do not induce toxicity towards either cell lines at concentrations up to 5 mg/ml. Therefore, it can be concluded that peptide fragments exhibit good hemocompatibility with no unwanted effect on the viability of renal cells, preliminarily demonstrating that it is safe to use peptide fragments as renal targeting drug carriers.

Carbohydrate-based materials for targeted delivery of drugs and genes to the liver

The insult to liver by toxic materials leads to cirrhosis, hepatitis and cancer. Upon administration, drugs accumulate in liver, which is systemically cleared by reticuloendothelial system. However, specific targeting of drugs to liver is a serious challenge. Specific delivery of molecules to hepatocytes is accomplished by targeting cell surface lectins, asialoglycoprotein receptors. Asialofetuin, N-acetyl glucosamine and galactose are high-affinity ligands of asialoglycoprotein receptors. The bioconjugation of drugs, fluorescent molecules and gene delivery vectors with lectin-targeting agents, and their delivery in liver hepatocytes, is discussed. Mannose and N-acetyl glucosamine conjugates are evaluated for their delivery to hepatic stellate and kupffer cells. The glycosylated gene and drug delivery vectors in clinical trials are outlined.

Effect of cyclodextrins on the structure and functions of blood components in vitro

Cyclodextrins have been extensively used in various biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. In these applications, cyclodextrins administered in vivo would inevitably enter blood stream. However, there is not enough information on the hemocompatibility of cyclodextrins until now. In this study, we investigated the influences of cyclodextrins (α-cyclodextrin, β-cyclodextrin, and γ-cyclodextrin) on human blood components and functions in vitro, that is, morphology and lysis of red blood cells, structure and conformation of fibrinogen, complement activation, and blood coagulation. It was found that 10 mg/mL of α- or β-cyclodextrins caused abnormal red blood cell morphology and serious hemolysis, while γ-cyclodextrin at 10 mg/mL did not impair red blood cell membrane morphology and integrity. The three cyclodextrins at up to 10 mg/mL affected the local microstructure but did not change the conformation of fibrinogen. The three cyclodextrins from 0.01 to 1 mg/mL all significantly activated the complement system in a concentration-dependent way. The three cyclodextrins at up to 5 mg/mL in blood plasma did not cause significantly different coagulation times compared with the negative control. In addition, the three cyclodextrins at up to 5 mg/mL in whole blood did not cause abnormal coagulation parameters. These results provide significant information on blood safety of the three cyclodextrins for their biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.

Efficient delivery of NF-κB siRNA to human retinal pigment epithelial cells with hyperbranched cationic polysaccharide derivative-based nanoparticles

A hyperbranched cationic polysaccharide derivative-mediated small interfering (si)RNA interference strategy was proposed to inhibit nuclear transcription factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation in human retinal pigment epithelial (hRPE) cells for the gene therapy of diabetic retinopathy. Two hyperbranched cationic polysaccharide derivatives containing the same amount of cationic residues, but with different branching structures and molecular weights, including 3-(dimethylamino)-1-propylamine-conjugated glycogen (DMAPA-Glyp) and amylopectin (DMAPA-Amp) derivatives, were developed for the efficient delivery of NF-κB siRNA into hRPE cells. The DMAPA-Glyp derivative showed lower toxicity against hRPE cells. Furthermore, the DMAPA-Glyp derivative more readily condensed siRNA and then formed the nanoparticles attributed to its higher branching architecture when compared to the DMAPA-Amp derivative. Both DMAPA-Glyp/siRNA and DMAPA-Amp/siRNA nanoparticles were able to protect siRNA from degradation by nuclease in 25% fetal bovine serum. The particle sizes of the DMAPA-Glyp/siRNA nanoparticles (70–120 nm) were smaller than those of the DMAPA-Amp/siRNA nanoparticles (130–180 nm) due to the higher branching architecture and lower molecular weight of the DMAPA-Glyp derivative. In addition, the zeta potentials of the DMAPA-Glyp/siRNA nanoparticles were higher than those of the DMAPA-Glyp/siRNA nanoparticles. As a result, siRNA was much more efficiently transferred into hRPE cells using the DMAPA-Glyp/siRNA nanoparticles rather than the DMAPA-Amp/siRNA nanoparticles. This led to significantly high levels of suppression on the expression levels of NF-κB p65 messenger RNA and protein in the cells transfected with DMAPA-Glyp/siRNA nanoparticles. This work provides a potential approach to promote hyperbranched polysaccharide derivatives as nonviral siRNA vectors for the inhibition of NF-κB activation in hRPE cells.

Hyperbranched PEG-based supramolecular nanoparticles for acid-responsive targeted drug delivery

In this article acid-sensitive hyperbranched PEG-based supramolecular nanoparticles were designed and used for targeted drug delivery.

Aqueous RAFT synthesis of block and statistical copolymers of 2-(α-d-mannopyranosyloxy)ethyl methacrylate with 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate and their application for nonviral gene delivery

Statistical and block glycopolymers presenting d-mannose were prepared by aqueous RAFT polymerization, and the effect of the microstructure on gene delivery was examined.

Bioapplications of hyperbranched polymers

The recent research progress in biological and biomedical applications of hyperbranched polymers has been summarized in this review.

Synthesis and therapeutic applications of biocompatible or biodegradable hyperbranched polymers

The recent progress in the synthesis, modifications and therapeutic applications of biocompatible or biodegradable hyperbranched polymers has been reviewed.

Carbohydrate-Based Polymers for Immune Modulation

Carbohydrates play prominent roles in immune surveillance and response to infection. Multivalency, molecular weight control, and molecular architecture control are properties that polymer science is well suited to address. Each of these properties has been demonstrated to impact the biological interaction of carbohydrate-bearing chains with their binding partners. This viewpoint highlights synthetic advances and potential applications of carbohydrate-based polymers for immune modulation. It also offers future directions in polymer science necessary for carbohydrate polymers to fulfill their potential as immune modulators.

Study of bacterial adhesion on different glycopolymer surfaces by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation

Protein-carbohydrate interactions are involved in a wide variety of cellular recognition processes including cell growth regulation, differentiation and adhesion, the immune response, and viral or bacterial infections. A common way for bacteria to achieve adhesion is through their fimbriae which possess cellular lectins that can bind to complementary carbohydrates on the surface of the host tissues. In this work, we synthesized glycopolymers using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization which were subsequently immobilized on a sensor surface for studies of bacterial adhesion by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). Ricinus communis Agglutinin (RCA120), a galactose specific lectin, was first studied by QCM-D to determine the specific lectin interactions to the different glycopolymers-treated surfaces. Subsequently, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 (a Gram-negative bacterium with galactose-specific binding C-type lectin (PA-IL)) and Escherichia coli K-12 (a Gram-negative bacterium with mannose-specific binding lectin) were then used as model bacteria to study bacterial adhesion mechanisms on different polymer-treated sensor surfaces by the coupled resonance theory. Our results showed that lectin-carbohydrate interactions play significant roles in comparison to the nonspecific interactions, such as electrostatic interactions. A significantly higher amount of P. aeruginosa PAO1 could adhere on the glycopolymer surface with strong contact point stiffness as compared to E. coli K-12 on the same surface. Furthermore, in comparison to E. coli K-12, the adhesion of P. aeruginosa PAO1 to the glycopolymers was found to be highly dependent on the presence of calcium ions due to the specific C-type lectin interactions of PA-IL, and also the enhanced bacterial adhesion is attributed to the stiffer glycopolymer surface in higher ionic strength condition.

Synthesis and encapsulation of an amphiphilic thermoresponsive star polymer with β-cyclodextrin and hyperbranched poly(oligo(ethylene glycol)methacrylate) as building blocks

Schematic illustrations of the thermally-induced self-assembly and possible encapsulation behaviors with single or multi-guests for PE-CD–POEGMAS.

One-pot reaction for the large-scale synthesis of hyperbranched polyglycerol-grafted Fe3O4 nanoparticles

Fe3O4 nanoparticles with surface hydroxyl groups (MNP-OH), prepared by the thermal decomposition of ferric oxalate pentahydrate in triethylene glycol, were grafted in situ with polyglycerol through the ring-opening polymerization of glycidol. By this method, hyperbranched polyglycerol-grafted Fe3O4 nanoparticles (HPG-grafted MNPs) can be obtained on an ultra-large scale of 50 g in a single reaction under laboratory conditions, and it is anticipated that the production of the HPG-grafted MNPs could be scaled up with the use of larger reaction vessels. The successful grafting of HPG onto the nanoparticles was confirmed by (1)H NMR and XPS analyses. The as-synthesized nanoparticles can be tuned from 8 to 24 nm in diameter by varying the reaction conditions. The size, morphology, and surface component of the nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, XPS, and XRD. The HPG-grafted MNPs are highly dispersible in aqueous media such as cell culture medium and serum. Since these magnetic nanoparticles possess desirable magnetic properties, controllable size, and can be produced by a facile inexpensive method, they can be potentially applied as a novel contrast agent for enhancing a MRI signal.