Increase in Dye:Dendrimer Ratio Decreases Cellular Uptake of Neutral Dendrimers in RAW Cells.

Neutral generation 3 poly(amidoamine) dendrimers were labeled with Oregon Green 488 (G3-OGn) to obtain materials with controlled fluorophore:dendrimer ratios (n = 1-2), a mixture containing mostly 3 dyes per dendrimer, a mixture containing primarily 4 or more dyes per dendrimer (n = 4+), and a stochastic mixture (n = 4avg). The UV absorbance of the dye conjugates increased linearly as n increased and the fluorescence emission decreased linearly as n increased. Cellular uptake was studied in RAW cells and HEK 293A cells as a function of the fluorophore:dendrimer ratio (n). The cellular uptake of G3-OG n (n = 3, 4+, 4avg) into RAW cells was significantly lower than G3-OG n (n = 1, 2). The uptake of G3-OG n (n = 3, 4+, 4avg) into HEK 293A cells was not significantly different from G3-OG1. Thus, the fluorophore:dendrimer ratio was observed to change the extent of uptake in the macrophage uptake mechanism but not in the HEK 293A cell. This difference in endocytosis indicates the presence of a pathway in the macrophage that is sensitive to hydrophobicity of the particle.

Generation 3 PAMAM dendrimer TAMRA conjugates containing precise dye/dendrimer ratios.

The synthesis, isolation, and characterization of generation 3 poly(amidoamine) (G3 PAMAM) dendrimer containing precise ratios of 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine succinimidyl ester (TAMRA) dye (n = 1-3) per polymer particle are reported. Stochastic conjugation of TAMRA dye to the dendrimer was followed by separation into precise dye-polymer ratios using rp-HPLC. The isolated materials were characterized by rp-UPLC, MALDI-TOF-MS, and 1H NMR spectroscopy, UV-vis, and fluorescence spectroscopies.

Characterization of Folic Acid and Poly(amidoamine) Dendrimer Interactions with Folate Binding Protein: A Force-Pulling Study.

Atomic force microscopy force-pulling experiments have been used to measure the binding forces between folic acid (FA) conjugated poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers and folate binding protein (FBP). The generation 5 (G5) PAMAM conjugates contained an average of 2.7, 4.7, and 7.2 FA per dendrimer. The most probable rupture force was measured to be 83, 201, and 189 pN for G5-FA2.7, G5-FA4.7, and G5-FA7.2, respectively. Folic acid blocking experiments for G5-FA7.2 reduced the frequency of successful binding events and increased the magnitude of the average rupture force to 274 pN. The force data are interpreted as arising from a network of van der Waals and electrostatic interactions that form between FBP and G5 PAMAM dendrimer, resulting in a binding strength far greater than that expected for an interaction between FA and FBP alone.

Isolation and characterization of precise dye/dendrimer ratios.

Fluorescent dyes are commonly conjugated to nanomaterials for imaging applications using stochastic synthesis conditions that result in a Poisson distribution of dye/particle ratios and therefore a broad range of photophysical and biodistribution properties. We report the isolation and characterization of generation 5 poly(amidoamine) (G5 PAMAM) dendrimer samples containing 1, 2, 3, and 4 fluorescein (FC) or 6-carboxytetramethylrhodamine succinimidyl ester (TAMRA) dyes per polymer particle. For the fluorescein case, this was achieved by stochastically functionalizing dendrimer with a cyclooctyne "click" ligand, separation into sample containing precisely defined "click" ligand/particle ratios using reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), followed by reaction with excess azide-functionalized fluorescein dye. For the TAMRA samples, stochastically functionalized dendrimer was directly separated into precise dye/particle ratios using RP-HPLC. These materials were characterized using (1)H and (19)F NMR spectroscopy, RP-HPLC, UV/Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, lifetime measurements, and MALDI.

Selecting improved peptidyl motifs for cytosolic delivery of disparate protein and nanoparticle materials.

Cell penetrating peptides facilitate efficient intracellular uptake of diverse materials ranging from small contrast agents to larger proteins and nanoparticles. However, a significant impediment remains in the subsequent compartmentalization/endosomal sequestration of most of these cargoes. Previous functional screening suggested that a modular peptide originally designed to deliver palmitoyl-protein thioesterase inhibitors to neurons could mediate endosomal escape in cultured cells. Here, we detail properties relevant to this peptide's ability to mediate cytosolic delivery of quantum dots (QDs) to a wide range of cell-types, brain tissue culture and a developing chick embryo in a remarkably nontoxic manner. The peptide further facilitated efficient endosomal escape of large proteins, dendrimers and other nanoparticle materials. We undertook an iterative structure-activity relationship analysis of the peptide by discretely modifying key components including length, charge, fatty acid content and their order using a comparative, semiquantitative assay. This approach allowed us to define the key motifs required for endosomal escape, to select more efficient escape sequences, along with unexpectedly identifying a sequence modified by one methylene group that specifically targeted QDs to cellular membranes. We interpret our results within a model of peptide function and highlight implications for in vivo labeling and nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery by using different peptides to co-deliver cargoes to cells and engage in multifunctional labeling.

Design, synthesis, and biological functionality of a dendrimer-based modular drug delivery platform.

A modular dendrimer-based drug delivery platform was designed to improve upon existing limitations in single dendrimer systems. Using this modular strategy, a biologically active platform containing receptor mediated targeting and fluorescence imaging modules was synthesized by coupling a folic acid (FA) conjugated dendrimer with a fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugated dendrimer. The two different dendrimer modules were coupled via the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction ("click" chemistry) between an alkyne moiety on the surface of the first dendrimer and an azide moiety on the second dendrimer. Two simplified model systems were also synthesized to develop appropriate "click" reaction conditions and aid in spectroscopic assignments. Conjugates were characterized by (1)H NMR spectroscopy and NOESY. The FA-FITC modular platform was evaluated in vitro with a human epithelial cancer cell line (KB) and found to specifically target the overexpressed folic acid receptor.

Cationic nanoparticles induce nanoscale disruption in living cell plasma membranes.

It has long been recognized that cationic nanoparticles induce cell membrane permeability. Recently, it has been found that cationic nanoparticles induce the formation and/or growth of nanoscale holes in supported lipid bilayers. In this paper, we show that noncytotoxic concentrations of cationic nanoparticles induce 30-2000 pA currents in 293A (human embryonic kidney) and KB (human epidermoid carcinoma) cells, consistent with a nanoscale defect such as a single hole or group of holes in the cell membrane ranging from 1 to 350 nm(2) in total area. Other forms of nanoscale defects, including the nanoparticle porating agents adsorbing onto or intercalating into the lipid bilayer, are also consistent; although the size of the defect must increase to account for any reduction in ion conduction, as compared to a water channel. An individual defect forming event takes 1-100 ms, while membrane resealing may occur over tens of seconds. Patch-clamp data provide direct evidence for the formation of nanoscale defects in living cell membranes. The cationic polymer data are compared and contrasted with patch-clamp data obtained for an amphiphilic phenylene ethynylene antimicrobial oligomer (AMO-3), a small molecule that is proposed to make well-defined 3.4 nm holes in lipid bilayers. Here, we observe data that are consistent with AMO-3 making approximately 3 nm holes in living cell membranes.

Enantioselective syntheses of both enantiomers of noranabasamine.

Both the R and S enantiomers of the amphibian alkaloid noranabasamine were prepared in >30% overall yield with 80% ee and 86% ee, respectively. An enantioselective iridium-catalyzed N-heterocyclization reaction with either (R)- or (S)-1-phenylethylamine and 1-(5-methoxypyridin-3-yl)-1,5-pentanediol was employed to generate the 2-(pyridin-3-yl)-piperidine ring system in 69-72% yield.

Interactions of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers with Survanta lung surfactant: the importance of lipid domains.

The interaction of generation 5 (G5) and 7 (G7) poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers with mica-supported Survanta bilayers is studied with atomic force microscopy (AFM). In these experiments, Survanta forms distinct gel and fluid domains with differing lipid composition. Nanoscale defects are induced by the PAMAM dendrimers. The positively charged dendrimers remove lipid from the fluid domains at a significantly greater rate than for the gel domains. Dendrimer accumulation on lipid edges and terraces preceding lipid removal has been directly imaged. Immediately following lipid removal, the mica surface is clean, indicating that lipid defects are not induced by dendrimers binding to the mica substrate and displacing the lipid.

Synthesis, characterization, and in vitro testing of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles targeted using folic Acid-conjugated dendrimers.

Organic-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (OC-SPIONs) were synthesized and characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. OC-SPIONs were transferred from organic media into water using poly(amidoamine) dendrimers modified with 6-TAMRA fluorescent dye and folic acid molecules. The saturation magnetization of the resulting dendrimer-coated SPIONs (DC-SPIONs) was determined, using a superconducting quantum interference device, to be 60 emu/g Fe versus 90 emu/g Fe for bulk magnetite. Selective targeting of the DC-SPIONs to KB cancer cells in vitro was demonstrated and quantified using two distinct and complementary imaging modalities: UV-visible and X-ray fluorescence; confocal microscopy confirmed internalization. The results were consistent between the uptake distribution quantified by flow cytometry using 6-TAMRA UV-visible fluorescence intensity and the cellular iron content determined using X-ray fluorescence microscopy.