RESUMO
Self-assembled nanostructures obtained from natural and synthetic amphiphiles serve as mimics of biological membranes and enable the delivery of drugs, proteins, genes, and imaging agents. Yet the precise molecular arrangements demanded by these functions are difficult to achieve. Libraries of amphiphilic Janus dendrimers, prepared by facile coupling of tailored hydrophilic and hydrophobic branched segments, have been screened by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, revealing a rich palette of morphologies in water, including vesicles, denoted dendrimersomes, cubosomes, disks, tubular vesicles, and helical ribbons. Dendrimersomes marry the stability and mechanical strength obtainable from polymersomes with the biological function of stabilized phospholipid liposomes, plus superior uniformity of size, ease of formation, and chemical functionalization. This modular synthesis strategy provides access to systematic tuning of molecular structure and of self-assembled architecture.
Assuntos
Dendrímeros/química , Membranas Artificiais , Nanoestruturas , Antibióticos Antineoplásicos/administração & dosagem , Materiais Biomiméticos/química , Microscopia Crioeletrônica , Doxorrubicina/administração & dosagem , Portadores de Fármacos , Interações Hidrofóbicas e Hidrofílicas , Modelos Moleculares , Simulação de Dinâmica Molecular , Estrutura Molecular , Propriedades de Superfície , Tensoativos/química , ÁguaRESUMO
Biodegradable polymersomes are promising vehicles for a range of applications. Their stabilization would improve many properties, including the retention and controlled release of polymersome contents, yet this has not been previously accomplished. Here, we present the first example of stabilizing fully biodegradable polymersomes through acrylation of the hydrophobic terminal end of polymersome-forming poly(caprolactone-b-ethylene glycol). Exposure of the resulting polymersomes loaded with a hydrophobic photoinitiator to ultraviolet light polymerized the acrylates, without affecting polymersome morphology or cell cytotoxicity. These stabilized polymersomes were more resistant to surfactant disruption and degradation. As an example of stabilized polymersome utility, the unintended release of doxorubicin (DOX) due to leakage from polymersomes decreased with membrane stabilization and slower sustained release was observed. Finally, DOX-loaded polymersomes retained their cytotoxicity following stabilization.