Selective uptake of cylindrical poly(2-oxazoline) brush-antiDEC205 antibody-OVA antigen conjugates into DEC-positive dendritic cells and subsequent T-cell activation.

To achieve specific cell targeting by various receptors for oligosaccharides or antibodies, a carrier must not be taken up by any of the very many different cells and needs functional groups prone to clean conjugation chemistry to derive well-defined structures with a high biological specificity. A polymeric nanocarrier is presented that consists of a cylindrical brush polymer with poly-2-oxazoline side chains carrying an azide functional group on each of the many side chain ends. After click conjugation of dye and an anti-DEC205 antibody to the periphery of the cylindrical brush polymer, antibody-mediated specific binding and uptake into DEC205(+) -positive mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDC) was observed, whereas binding and uptake by DEC205(-) negative BMDC and non-DC was essentially absent. Additional conjugation of an antigen peptide yielded a multifunctional polymer structure with a much stronger antigen-specific T-cell stimulatory capacity of pretreated BMDC than application of antigen or polymer-antigen conjugate.

Evaluation of multifunctional liposomes in human blood serum by light scattering.

To overcome the limited functionality of "stealth" lipids based on linear poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains, hyperbranched polyether-based lipids that bear multiple hydroxyl groups for further chemical modification may be a suitable replacement. This study focuses on the development and characterization of "stealth" liposomes modified with a novel hyperbranched polyglycerol lipid (cholesterol-PEG30-hbPG23). An emphasis was placed on the stability of these liposomes in comparison to those containing a linear PEG derivative (cholesterol-PEG44) directly in human blood serum, characterized via dynamic light scattering (DLS). Polymer lipid contents were varied between 0 and 30 mol %, resulting in liposomes with sizes between 150 and 80 nm in radius, depending on the composition. DLS analysis showed no aggregation inducing interactions between serum components and liposomes containing 10-30 mol % of the hyperbranched lipid. In contrast, liposomes functionalized with comparable amounts of linear PEG exhibited aggregate formation in the size range of 170-330 nm under similar conditions. In addition to DLS, cryo-transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was employed for all liposome samples to prove the formation of unilamellar vesicles. These results demonstrate the outstanding potential of the introduction of hyperbranched polyglycerol into liposomes to stabilize the assemblies against aggregation while providing additional functionalization sites.

Aggregation behavior of cationic nanohydrogel particles in human blood serum.

For systemic siRNA delivery applications, well-defined drug carriers are required that guarantee stability for both carrier and cargo. Among various concepts progressing in market or final development, cationic nanohydrogel particles may serve as novel transport media especially designed for siRNA-in vivo experiments. In this work, the interaction of nanohydrogel particles with proteins and serum components was studied via dynamic light scattering in human blood serum as novel screening method prior to applications in vivo. The formation of larger aggregates mostly caused by charge interaction with albumin could be suppressed by nanogel loading with siRNA affording a neutral zeta potential for the complex. Preliminary in vivo studies confirmed the results inside the light-scattering cuvette. Although both carrier and cargo may have limited stability on their own under physiological relevant conditions, they can form safe and stable complexes at a charge neutralized ratio and thus making them applicable to systemic siRNA delivery.