Dynamic Properties of Block Ionomer Complexes with Polyion Complex Cores

PEG-Free Polyion Complex Nanocarriers for Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor

Many therapeutic formulations incorporate poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as a stealth component to minimize early clearance. However, PEG is immunogenic and susceptible to accelerated clearance after multiple administrations. Here, we present two novel reformulations of a polyion complex (PIC), originally composed of poly(ethylene glycol)₁₁₃-b-poly(glutamic acid)₅₀ (PEG-PLE) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), termed Nano-BDNF (Nano-BDNF PEG-PLE). We replace the PEG based block copolymer with two new polymers, poly(sarcosine)₁₂₇-b-poly(glutamic acid)₅₀ (PSR-PLE) and poly(methyl-2-oxazolines)₃₈-b-poly(oxazolepropanoic acid)₂₇-b-poly(methyl-2-oxazoline)₃₈ (PMeOx-PPaOx-PMeOx), which are driven to association with BDNF via electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding to form a PIC. Formulation using a microfluidic mixer yields small and narrowly disperse nanoparticles which associate following similar principles. Additionally, we demonstrate that encapsulation does not inhibit access by the receptor kinase, which affects BDNF’s physiologic benefits. Finally, we investigate the formation of nascent nanoparticles through a series of characterization experiments and isothermal titration experiments which show the effects of pH in the context of particle self-assembly. Our findings indicate that thoughtful reformulation of PEG based, therapeutic PICs with non-PEG alternatives can be accomplished without compromising the self-assembly of the PIC.

Interpolyelectrolyte Complexes as an Emerging Technology for Pharmaceutical Delivery of Polypeptides

Polyelectrolyte complexes and the derivatives thereof comprise some of the most promising vehicles for the encapsulation and delivery of macromolecular therapeutics. In particular, protein therapeutics, which present a host of special considerations, can often be effectively packaged and delivered using interpolyelectrolyte complexes. While the technologies are still in the developmental phase, there are numerous examples of complexes where control is exerted over spacial and temporal delivery of a model protein cargo or candidate protein therapeutic agent. Here we provide a historical and practical background to promote a deeper understanding of interpolyelectrolyte complexes and the derivative technologies. Additionally, we review the physical principles underlying the association of polyelectrolyte complexes and the application of those principles to novel strategies and technologies driving interpolyelectrolyte complexation. Then, the application of polyelectrolyte complex technology to protein therapeutics is discussed in detail including discussions of several types of protein cargo with a special emphasis on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. Finally, we focus on the use of stealth polymers in block ionomer complexes, specifically PEG; its benefits, flaws, and possible alternatives. Comprehensive understanding of the field may promote the continued development of derivative technologies for the delivery of particularly intransigent protein therapeutics, much as has been accomplished for small molecule drugs. We also aim to link current advances to the historical developments which inaugurated the field. With consideration to the field, industrial and academic researchers can utilize the discussed technologies and continue to elucidate novel modalities for a myriad of therapeutic and commercial applications.

Reversible multilayered vesicle-like structures with fluid hydrophobic and interpolyelectrolyte layers

Hydrophobic blocks of amphiphilic block copolymers often form glassy micellar cores at room temperature with a rigid structure that limits their applications as nanocapsules for targeted delivery. Nevertheless, we prepared and analyzed core/shell micelles with a soft core, formed by a self-assembled block copolymer consisting of a hydrophobic block and a polycation block, poly(lauryl acrylate)-block-poly(trimethyl-aminoethyl acrylate) (PLA-QPDMAEA), in aqueous solution. By light and small-angle neutron scattering, by transmission electron microscopy and by fluorescence spectroscopy, we showed that these core/shell micelles are spherical and cylindrical with a fluid-like PLA core and a positively charged outer shell and that they can encapsulate and release hydrophobic solutes. Moreover, after mixing these PLA-QPDMAEA core/shell micelles with another diblock copolymer, consisting of a hydrophilic block and a polyanion block, namely poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(methacrylic acid) (PEO-PMAA), we observed the formation of novel vesicle-like multicompartment structures containing both soft hydrophobic and interpolyelectrolyte (IPEC) layers. By combining small-angle neutron scattering with self-consistent field modeling, we confirmed the formation of these complex vesicle-like structures with a swollen PEO core, an IPEC inner layer, a PLA soft layer, an IPEC outer layer and a loose PEO corona. Thus, these multicompartment micelles with fluid and IPEC layers and a hydrophilic corona may be used as nanocapsules with several tunable properties, including the ability to control the thickness of each layer, the charge of the IPEC layers and the stability of the micelles, to deliver both hydrophobic and multivalent solutes.

100th Anniversary of Macromolecular Science Viewpoint: Attractive Soft Matter: Association Kinetics, Dynamics, and Pathway Complexity in Electrostatically Coassembled Micelles

Electrostatically coassembled micelles constitute a versatile class of functional soft materials with broad application potential as, for example, encapsulation agents for nanomedicine and nanoreactors for gels and inorganic particles. The nanostructures that form upon the mixing of selected oppositely charged (block co)polymers and other ionic species greatly depend on the chemical structure and physicochemical properties of the micellar building blocks, such as charge density, block length (ratio), and hydrophobicity. Nearly three decades of research since the introduction of this new class of polymer micelles shed significant light on the structure and properties of the steady-state association colloids. Dynamics and out-of-equilibrium processes, such as (dis)assembly pathways, exchange kinetics of the micellar constituents, and reaction-assembly networks, have steadily gained more attention. We foresee that the broadened scope will contribute toward the design and preparation of otherwise unattainable structures with emergent functionalities and properties. This Viewpoint focuses on current efforts to study such dynamic and out-of-equilibrium processes with greater spatiotemporal detail. We highlight different approaches and discuss how they reveal and rationalize similarities and differences in the behavior of mixed micelles prepared under various conditions and from different polymeric building blocks.

Polymeric micelles for the delivery of poorly soluble drugs: From nanoformulation to clinical approval

Over the last three decades, polymeric micelles have emerged as a highly promising drug delivery platform for therapeutic compounds. Particularly, poorly soluble small molecules with high potency and significant toxicity were encapsulated in polymeric micelles. Polymeric micelles have shown improved pharmacokinetic profiles in preclinical animal models and enhanced efficacy with a superior safety profile for therapeutic drugs. Several polymeric micelle formulations have reached the clinical stage and are either in clinical trials or are approved for human use. This furthers interest in this field and underscores the need for additional learning of how to best design and apply these micellar carriers to improve the clinical outcomes of many drugs. In this review, we provide detailed information on polymeric micelles for the solubilization of poorly soluble small molecules in topics such as the design of block copolymers, experimental and theoretical analysis of drug encapsulation in polymeric micelles, pharmacokinetics of drugs in polymeric micelles, regulatory approval pathways of nanomedicines, and current outcomes from micelle formulations in clinical trials. We aim to describe the latest information on advanced analytical approaches for elucidating molecular interactions within the core of polymeric micelles for effective solubilization as well as for analyzing nanomedicine's pharmacokinetic profiles. Taking into account the considerations described within, academic and industrial researchers can continue to elucidate novel interactions in polymeric micelles and capitalize on their potential as drug delivery vehicles to help improve therapeutic outcomes in systemic delivery.

Formation of core/corona nanoparticles with interpolyelectrolyte complex cores in aqueous solution: insight into chain dynamics in the complex from fluorescence quenching

Formation of interpolyelectrolyte complexes (IPECs) of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) bearing a fluorescent label (umbelliferone) at the chain end and poly[3,5-bis(trimethyl ammoniummethyl)-4-hydroxystyrene iodide]-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (QNPHOS-PEO) acting as a fluorescence quencher, was followed using a combination of scattering, calorimetry, microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy techniques. While scattering and microscopy measurements indicated formation of spherical core/corona nanoparticles with the core of the QNPHOS/PMAA complex and the PEO corona, fluorescence measurements showed that both static and dynamic quenching efficiency were increased in the nanoparticle stability region. As the dynamic quenching rate constant remained unchanged, the quenching enhancement was caused by the increase in the local concentration of QNPHOS segments in the microenvironment of the label. This finding implies that the local dynamics of PMAA end chains affecting the interaction of the label with QNPHOS segments was independent of both PMAA and QNPHOS chain conformations.

Modeling competitive substitution in a polyelectrolyte complex

We have simulated the invasion of a polyelectrolyte complex made of a polycation chain and a polyanion chain, by another longer polyanion chain, using the coarse-grained united atom model for the chains and the Langevin dynamics methodology. Our simulations reveal many intricate details of the substitution reaction in terms of conformational changes of the chains and competition between the invading chain and the chain being displaced for the common complementary chain. We show that the invading chain is required to be sufficiently longer than the chain being displaced for effecting the substitution. Yet, having the invading chain to be longer than a certain threshold value does not reduce the substitution time much further. While most of the simulations were carried out in salt-free conditions, we show that presence of salt facilitates the substitution reaction and reduces the substitution time. Analysis of our data shows that the dominant driving force for the substitution process involving polyelectrolytes lies in the release of counterions during the substitution.

Temperature-induced structure switch in thermo-responsive micellar interpolyelectrolyte complexes: toward core-shell-corona and worm-like morphologies

The spontaneous formation and thermo-responsiveness of a colloidally-stable interpolyelectrolyte complex (IPEC) based on a linear temperature-sensitive diblock copolymer poly(vinyl sulfonate)31-b-poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide)27 (PVS31-b-PNIPAM27) and a star-shaped quaternized miktoarm polymer poly(ethylene oxide)114-(poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)17)4 (PEO114-(qPDMAEMA17)4) was investigated in aqueous media at 0.3 M NaCl by means of dynamic light scattering (DLS), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). The micellar macromolecular co-assemblies show a temperature-dependent size and morphology, which result from the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior of the PNIPAM-blocks. Hence, the micellar co-assemblies grow upon heating. At 60 °C, spherical core-shell-corona co-assemblies are proposed with a hydrophobic PNIPAM core, a water-insoluble IPEC shell, and a hydrophilic PEO corona. These constructs develop into a rod-like structure upon extended equilibration. In turn, PEO-arms and PNIPAM-blocks within a hydrophilic mixed two-component corona surround the water-insoluble IPEC domain at 20 °C, thereby forming spherical core-corona co-assemblies. Reversibility of the structural changes is suggested by the scattering data. This contribution addresses the use of a combination of oppositely charged thermo-responsive and bis-hydrophilic star-shaped polymeric components toward IPECs of diverse morphological types.

A novel approach to controlled self-assembly of pH-responsive thermosensitive homopolymer polyelectrolytes into stable nanoparticles

This review addresses the recent research progress in introducing and elaborating a novel approach to controlled polymer self-assembly into stable nanoparticles using pH-responsive thermosensitive homopolymer polyelectrolytes. Interesting aspect of this approach is that stable polymeric nanoparticles are formed from homopolymers of one type only and without any assembly-triggering additives. The process of their formation can be monitored online e.g. by light scattering and particle size can be finely custom tuned. Obtained nanoparticles have interesting properties and are very stable over long periods of time and over a broad range of salt concentrations including physiological conditions. Much effort was devoted not only to finding optimum experimental protocols and to characterizing resulting nanoparticles in detail, but also to understanding physical processes behind these successful protocols.

Polymeric micelles based on poly(methacrylic acid) block-containing copolymers with different membrane destabilizing properties for cellular drug delivery

Poly(methacrylic acid)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) are double hydrophilic block copolymers, which are able to form micelles by complexation with a counter-polycation, such as poly-l-lysine. A study was carried out on the ability of the copolymers to interact with model membranes as a function of their molecular weights and as a function of pH. Different behaviors were observed: high molecular weight copolymers respect the membrane integrity, whereas low molecular weight copolymers with a well-chosen asymmetry degree can induce a membrane alteration. Hence by choosing the appropriate molecular weight, micelles with distinct membrane interaction behaviors can be obtained leading to different intracellular traffics with or without endosomal escape, making them interesting tools for cell engineering. Especially micelles constituted of low molecular weight copolymers could exhibit the endosomal escape property, which opens vast therapeutic applications. Moreover micelles possess a homogeneous nanometric size and show variable properties of disassembly at acidic pH, of stability in physiological conditions, and finally of cyto-tolerance.

Well-defined cross-linked antioxidant nanozymes for treatment of ischemic brain injury

Development of well-defined nanomedicines is critical for their successful clinical translation. A simple synthesis and purification procedure is established for chemically cross-linked polyion complexes of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) or catalase with a cationic block copolymer, methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(L-lysine hydrochloride) (PEG-pLL₅₀). Such complexes, termed cross-linked nanozymes (cl-nanozymes) retain catalytic activity and have narrow size distribution. Moreover, their cytotoxicity is decreased compared to non-cross-linked complexes due to suppression of release of the free block copolymer. SOD1 cl-nanozymes exhibit prolonged ability to scavenge experimentally induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cultured brain microvessel endothelial cells and central neurons. In vivo they decrease ischemia/reperfusion-induced tissue injury and improve sensorimotor functions in a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model after a single intravenous (i.v.) injection. Altogether, well-defined cl-nanozymes are promising modalities for attenuation of oxidative stress after brain injury.