Dendritic supramolecular assemblies for drug delivery

Dendritic supramolecular assemblies were formed in water with Reichardt's dye or the anticancer drug 10-hydroxycamptothecin and the dendritic macromolecule, ([G4]-PGLSA-OH)2-PEG3400.     

New mono- and tricyclopalladated dendritic systems with encapsulated catalytic sites

The preparation of a series of new macrocyclic carbodiazasilane molecules functionalized with the monoanionic [2,6-(CH2NMe2)2C6H3](-)[triple bond]N,C,N-pincer ligand has been accomplished. Palladation of these systems was possible through oxidative addition with [Pd(dba)2] affording exclusive formation of the meso diastereoisomer. The X-ray crystal structures of these novel ligands and of the palladium(II) complex 10 were determined and confirmed the stereochemistry of the organopalladium cage. Attachment of the para-OH functionalized carbodiazasilane macrocycle 16 to a central core led to the formation of the dendritic structure 18 which was palladated to afford the novel multimetallic dendritic system with encapsulated catalytic sites 1. This cyclopalladated carbosilane dendrimer (1) as well as the mononuclear organopalladium cage 10 can be conveniently converted into active Lewis acid catalysts for the aldol condensation reaction. The catalytic data showed higher reaction rates for the dendritic structure than for the corresponding mononuclear systems.     

Monocarbaborane anion chemistry. An interesting encapsulation of the Pd2I2(P(C6H(4)-4-Me)3)4]2+ cation by a pair of [PhCB9H4I(C6H4Me)4]- anions

Reaction of the [1-Ph-closo-1-CB9H(4)-6,7,8,9,10-I5]- anion with 4-MeC6H4MgBr in the presence of [PdCl2(PPh3)2] gives the [Pd2I2(P(C6H(4)-4-Me)3)4]2+ salt of the [1-Ph-closo-1-CB9H(4)-10-I-6,7,8,9-(C6H(4)-4-Me)4]- anion, which exhibits an unusual neutral supramolecular assembly in the solid state, in which the dipalladium dication is encapsulated by two four-armed 'tetrapus' anionic units; the anion also has potentialities for four-fold dendrimer construction.     

Size-selective catalytic activity of Pd nanoparticles encapsulated within end-group functionalized dendrimers

The synthesis and size-selective catalytic activity of Pd nanoparticles encapsulated within dendrimers functionalized with different-sized end groups is described. We designed and synthesized a series of fourth-generation poly(amidoamine) dendrimers having various extents of steric crowding on their periphery. This was accomplished by reacting the terminal amine groups of these dendrimers with epoxyalkanes substituted with different-sized alkyl groups. The modified dendrimers were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry. Nearly monodisperse (1.7 +/- 0.2 nm) Pd nanoparticles were encapsulated within the interior of these dendrimers, and the resulting composite catalysts were used for the hydrogenation of three alpha-allylic alcohols having different sizes. The results showed a clear correlation between the extent of steric crowding on the dendrimer surface and the turnover frequencies (TOFs) for the substrates: more steric crowding on the dendrimer surface led to lower TOFs.     

Guest driven rearrangements of protonation and hydrogen bonding in decavanadate anions as their tetraalkylammonium salts

Single crystal X-ray structure determinations of [(n-C5H11)4N]3[H3V10O28].2(CH3)2CO (TAA-acetone), [(n-C5H11)4N]8[H3V10O28]2[H4V10O28].7C4H8O2 (TAA-dioxane), [(n-C5H11)4N]3[H3V10O28] (TAAh) and [(n-C6H13)4N]2[H4V10O28].4C4H8O2 (THA-dioxane) revealed that protonation and hydrogen bond formation of decavanadate anions in their tetraalkylammonium salts are influenced by the nature of the solvent molecules incorporated as guests into the crystals. When crystallized with acetone molecules, the decavanadate anion forms a self-associated hydrogen-bonded dimer of ([H3V10O28](3-))2 to hide the protons from the aprotic protophobic acetone molecules. When crystallized with 1,4-dioxane molecules, the decavanadate anion exposes its protons to the aprotic protophilic 1,4-dioxane molecules to form a hydrogen-bond assisted solvation complex of ((C4H8O2)4...[H4V10O28)](2-)). Size effects of the tetraalkylammonium cations on crystallizing these hydrogen-bonded assemblies were also examined.     

Synthesis and characterization of 10-hydroxycamptothecin – sebacate – layered double hydroxide nanocomposites

10-Hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) as a hydrophobic anticancer drug brings many challenges in the clinical applications due to its poor water solubility and the presence of a chemically unstable lactone ring. In this work, the nanocomposites of HCPT intercalated layered double hydroxide (LDH) were prepared by a secondary intercalation method, and the encapsulated HCPT could keep the biologically active lactone form. A Zn–Al–NO₃ LDH was pillared with sebacate anions by a co-precipitation method in an aqueous medium, and then HCPT was intercalated into the LDH's gallery via hydrophobic interaction in an ethanol medium. The parallel alkyl chains of perpendicularly arranged sebacate anions in the LDH gallery provide a hydrophobic space for the drug intercalation. The in vitro release kinetics of HCPT from the nanocomposites could be fitted with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the diffusion of HCPT through the LDH particles played an important role in controlling the drug release. The nanocomposites can be considered as a potential drug delivery system.     

Effects of the Molecular Weight of PLGA on Degradation and Drug Release In vitro from an mPEG-PLGA Nanocarrier

We successfully synthesized four kinds of copolymers with varying molecular weights of poly(lactide-co-glycolide)(PLGA) to yield methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(lactide-co-glycolide)(mPEG-PLGA) nanocarriers:mPEG-PLGA(3k), mPEG-PLGA(9k), mPEG-PLGA(11k) and mPEG-PLGA(16k). An antitumor drug, 10-hydroxycamptothecin(HCPT), was encapsulated into the mPEG-PLGA nanocarrier cores by self-assembly in dialysis. The lower molecular weight nanocarriers degraded more quickly, resulting in mass loss, pH decline, and a rapid HCPT release rate in vitro. The degradation and drug release of the nanocarriers were dependent on the PLGA molecular weight. However, the larger molecular weight nanocarriers could not increase the loading content and encapsulation efficiency. Considering the antitumor effect of these nanocarriers, the mPEG-PLGA(9k) nanocarrier, which had the highest drug loading content[(7.72±0.57)%] and a relatively high encapsulation efficiency[(22.71±5.53)%], is an optimum agent for drug delivery.     

Enhanced In Vitro Antitumor Efficacy and Strong Anti‐Cell‐Migration Activity of a Hydroxycamptothecin‐Encapsulated Magnetic Nanovehicle

A 10‐hydroxycamptothecin‐encapsulated magnetic nanovehicle (HEMN) was fabricated by coencapsulating Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and 10‐hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) into a micelle core self‐assembled from the amphiphilic copolymer methoxy‐poly(ethylene glycol)–poly(d,l ‐lactide‐co‐glycolide) through a facile dialysis method. A satisfactory drug‐loading content of (9.03±0.67) % and a relatively high encapsulation efficiency of (53.52±6.46) % were achieved. In vitro drug release was performed by membrane dialysis and a pH‐dependent release behavior was observed. In comparison with free HCPT dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide, HEMNs showed a greatly improved in vitro antitumor efficacy against three different human cancer cell lines—HeLa, A549, and HepG2—and lower IC₅₀ values were measured. The mechanism of cell death was investigated, and it was clearly demonstrated that the apoptosis process was triggered. An in vitro wound‐healing assay and a transwell assay indicated that HEMNs exerted much stronger activity in inhibiting HeLa cell migration. The cellular uptake of HEMNs in a desired area can be significantly enhanced by an external magnetic field. These results demonstrate HCPT‐encapsulated magnetic nanovehicles might have important potential in clinical applications for inhibiting tumor metastasis and for targeted drug delivery.     

Dinuclear ruthenium(II) complexes as potential probes for RNA bulge sites

1H NMR spectroscopy and molecular modelling have been used to investigate the binding of the DeltaDelta-and LambdaLambda-enantiomers of the dinuclear ruthenium(II) complex [[Ru(Me2bpy)2]2(mu-bpm)]4+ [Me2bpy = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine; bpm = 2,2'-bipyrimidine] to an RNA tridecanucleotide duplex containing a single-base bulge [r(CCGAGAAUUCCGG)2]], and the corresponding control dodecanucleotide [r(CCGGAAUUCCGG)2]. Both enantiomers bound the control RNA sequence weakly. From upfield shifts of the metal complex H3 and H3' protons throughout the titration of the control dodecanucleotide with DeltaDelta-[[Ru(Me2bpy)2]2(mu-bpm)]4+, a binding constant of 1 x 10(3) M(-1) was determined. In NOESY spectra of the control sequence with added DeltaDelta-[[Ru(Me2bpy)2]2(mu-bpm)]4+, NOEs were only observed to protons from the terminal base-pair residues. No significant changes in chemical shift were observed for either the metal complex or RNA protons upon addition of the LambdaLambda-enantiomer to the control dodecanucleotide. The DeltaDelta-[[Ru(Me2bpy)2]2(mu-bpm)]4+ complex bound the bulge-containing RNA with a significantly greater affinity (6 x 10(4) M(-1)) than the non-bulge control RNA duplex. Competition binding experiments indicated that the LambdaLambda-isomer bound the tridecanucleotide with similar affinity to the DeltaDelta-enantiomer. Addition of DeltaDelta-[[Ru(Me2bpy)2]2(mu-bpm)]4+ to the bulge-containing tridecanucleotide induced selective changes in chemical shift for the base H8 and sugar H1' resonances from the adenine bulge residue, and resonances from nucleotide residues adjacent to the bulge site. Intermolecular NOEs observed in NOESY spectra of the tridecanucleotide with added DeltaDelta-[[Ru(Me2bpy)2]2(mu-bpm)]4+ confirmed the selective binding of the ruthenium complex at the bulge site. Preliminary binding models, consistent with the NMR data, showed that the ruthenium complex could effectively associate in the RNA minor groove at the bulge site.     

Phosphinic derivative of DTPA conjugated to a G5 PAMAM dendrimer: an 17O and 1H relaxation study of its Gd(III) complex

A DTPA-based chelate containing one phosphinate group was conjugated to a generation 5 polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer via a benzylthiourea linkage. The Gd(III) complex of this novel conjugate has potential as a contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The chelates bind Gd3+via three nitrogen atoms, four carboxylates and one phosphinate oxygen, and one water molecule completes the inner coordination sphere. The monomer Gd(III) chelates bearing nitrobenzyl and aminobenzyl groups ([Gd(DTTAP-bz-NO2)(H2O)]2- and [Gd(DTTAP-bz-NH2)(H2O)]2-) as well as the dendrimeric Gd(III) complex G5-(Gd(DTTAP))63) were studied by multiple-field, variable temperature 17O and 1H NMR. The rate of water exchange is faster than that of [Gd(DTPA)(H2O)]2- and very similar on the two monomeric complexes (8.9 and 8.3 x 10(6) s-1 for [Gd(DTTAP-bz-NO2)(H2O)]2- and [Gd(DTTAP-bz-NH2)(H2O)]2-, respectively), while it is decreased on the dendrimeric conjugate (5.0 x 10(6) s-1). The Gd(III) complex of the dendrimer conjugate has a relaxivity of 26.8 mM-1 s-1 at 37 degrees C and 0.47 T (corresponding to 1H Larmor frequency of 20 MHz). Given the contribution of the second sphere water molecules to the overall relaxivity, this value is slightly higher than those reported for similar size dendrimers. The experimental 17O and 1H NMR data were fitted to the Solomon-Bloembergen-Morgan equations extended with a contribution from second coordination sphere water molecules. The rotational dynamics of the dendrimeric conjugate was described in terms of global and local motions with the Lipari-Szabo approach.     

Distribution of encapsulated materials in colloidal particles and its impact on oxidative stability of encapsulated materials

The oxidative stability of encapsulated product is a critical parameter in many products from food to pharmaceutical to cosmetic industries. The overall objective of this study was to correlate differences in the distribution pattern of encapsulated material within solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) with the relative susceptibility of these materials to undergo oxidation. The distribution of an encapsulated lipid soluble dye (Nile Red) in SLNs and NLCs was quantitatively measured using fluorescence imaging. The relative susceptibility of the encapsulated material to react with free radicals generated in the aqueous phase and oxygen from the ambient environment was measured using peroxyl radical and oxygen sensitive fluorescent dyes encapsulated in the lipid phase of colloidal particles respectively. Imaging measurements demonstrate a significant exclusion of the encapsulated dye molecules from the lipid core of SLNs as compared to NLCs. Imaging results also showed significant differences in the intraparticle distribution of encapsulated dye between NLCs containing 1 and 10% liquid lipid. On the basis of these differences in distribution, we hypothesized that the relative susceptibility of encapsulated material to peroxyl radicals and oxygen would be in the order SLNs > 1% NLC > 10% NLC. Measurement of relative susceptibility of peroxyl radical sensitive dye encapsulated in SLNs and NLCs to peroxyl radicals generated in the aqueous phase validated the proposed hypotheses. However, the susceptibility of encapsulated oxygen sensitive dye to ambient oxygen was not significantly different between SLNs and NLCs. The results of this study demonstrate that difference in distribution pattern of encapsulated material within colloidal particles can significantly influence the susceptibility of encapsulated material to react with free radicals. Overall, this study demonstrates a comprehensive approach to characterize the susceptibility of encapsulated materials in colloidal particles to oxidation processes.     

Emission frequency modulation by electronic confinement effect: Congo Red incorporated within a dendritic structure

We have investigated the photophysical properties of an organic dye (Congo Red) incorporated within the internal cavities of a dendrimer (type polypropylenimine of fifth-generation modified with a dense shell of amino acids). In this paper we show that the luminescence properties of Congo Red encapsulated into the "dendritic box" can be modulated by the electronic confinement effect. The emission frequencies of this organic dye incorporated within the dendritic structure can be red shifted with respect to their emission in solution, and the magnitude of this shifting can be modulated under appropriate experimental conditions.     

(羟基喜树碱@胆酸钠)-层状双金属氢氧化物纳米杂化物的组装及表征

采用“药物修饰-共组装”法制备了(羟基喜树碱@胆酸钠)-层状双金属氢氧化物纳米杂化物. 先用胆酸钠(SCL)包裹羟基喜树碱(HCPT)形成胶束, 再与微反应器制备的层状双氢氧化物(LDH)纳米片共组装形成纳米杂化物, 其载药量可达12.9%, 杂化物中HCPT以高生物活性的内酯形式存在. 采用聚乙二醇(PEG)和羧甲基纤维素(CMC)分别对所制备的(HCPT@SCL)-LDH纳米杂化物进行了表面修饰, 结果表明, 纳米杂化物的分散性得到明显改善; PEG的修饰效果优于CMC, 所获得的PEG-(HCPT@SCL)-LDH杂化物的平均粒径可小至约70 nm, 具有良好的分散性和药物缓释效果. 其药物释放过程可用准二级动力学方程描述, 颗粒内部扩散是药物释放过程的控制步骤.     

Reversible self-assembly of dendrimer based on polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS)

An acid-base switchable dendritic complex was constructed by self-assembly between dibenzo-24-crown-8 terminated T(10)-POSS dendrimer and dibenzylammonium hexafluorophosphate salt based on T(8)-POSS. The formation and its threading-dethreading property were characterized by (1)H NMR and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy.     

Synthesis, characterization, and chiral properties of CoIII2AgI3 pentanuclear, CoIII4ZnII4 octanuclear, and CoIII mononuclear complexes with aza-capped hexadentate-N3S3 thiolate ligands: crystal structures of

The reaction of an S-bridged Co2(III)Ag3(I) pentanuclear complex, [Ag3[Co(aet)3]2][BF4]3 (aet = NH2CH2CH2S-), with paraformaldehyde in basic acetonitrile, followed by adding aqueous ammonia, produced an aza-capped Co2(III)-Ag3(I) complex, [Ag3[Co(L)]2]3+ ([1]3+) (L = N(CH2NHCH2CH2S-)3). The crystal structure of [1]3+ was determined by X-ray crystallography. [1][PF6]3 x H2O, empirical formula C18H44Ag3Co2F18N8OP3S6, crystallizes in the tetragonal space group 142m with a = 13.012(1) A, c = 24.707(2) A, and Z = 4. In [1]3+ the two aza-capped [Co(L)] units are linked by three Ag(I) atoms, such that the two Co(III) atoms are encapsulated in a macrobicyclic metallocage, [Ag3(I)(L)2]3-. [1]3+ was converted to an aza-capped Co4(III)Zn4(II) octanuclear complex, [Zn4O[Co(L)]4]6+ ([2]6+), by reaction with I- in the presence of Zn2+ and ZnO in water. The crystal structure of [2]6+ was also determined by X-ray crystallography. [2][PF6]6 x 8H2O, empirical formula C36H100Co4F36N16O9P6S12Zn4, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1/n) with a = 14.33(7) A, b = 25.67(10) A, c = 24.83(6) A, beta = 101.3(3) degrees , and Z = 4. In [2]6+ each of four [Co(L)] units is bound to each trigonal Zn3(II) face of the tetrahedral [Zn4(II)O]6+ core, such that each Co(III) atom is encapsulated in a macrobicyclic [Zn4(II)O(L)] fragment. Treatment of [2]6+ with a basic aqueous solution resulted in a cleavage of the Zn-S bonds to produce an aza-capped Co(III) mononuclear complex, [Co(L)] ([3]), from which [1]3+ is readily reproduced by the reaction with Ag+ in water. All the reactions were found to proceed with retention of the absolute configuration (delta or lambda) of the Co(III) chiral centers; deltadelta-[1]3+, deltadeltadeltadelta-[2]6+, and A-[3] were derived from deltadelta-[Ag3[Co(aet)3]2]3+. The contributions to circular dichroism (CD) from the triple helicity in [1]3+, besides from the asymmetric N and S donor atoms and the Co(III) chiral centers in [1]3+ and [2]6+, were estimated by comparing the CD spectra of deltadelta-[1]3+, deltadeltadeltadelta-[2]6+, and delta-[3].     

An investigation of the complexation of host <Emphasis Type="Italic">N,N′</Emphasis>-bis(9-phenyl-9-thioxanthenyl)ethylenediamine with dihaloalkane guests

In this study, the formation of supramolecular inclusion complex of doxorubicin (DOX), a high loading and pH-dependent delivery of DOX on β-CD dendrimer was studied. β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) dendrimer having β-CD in both periphery and core was prepared with entrapment efficiency using click reaction. The encapsulation property of the β-CD-dendrimer was investigated by DOX as model drug. The chemical construction of β-CD-dendrimer was described by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and FTIR and its inclusion complex construction was studied by FTIR, DSC, SEM, and DLS techniques. It was confirmed that β-CD dendrimer able to encapsulate DOX in solution; as a result, the designed complex revealed pH-dependent sustained release of DOX, in vitro. Also, the in vitro outcomes on T47D cells displayed that complexation of DOX with β-CD dendrimer involved an improvement of in vitro cytotoxicity and anticancer activity and this data appeared to be as a result of the developed solubility of the DOX.     

Electron-electron and electron-nucleus correlation effects on exponent values of Gaussian-type functions for quantum protons and deuterons

Electron-electron and electron-nucleus correlation effects on exponent (alpha) values of Gaussian-type functions (GTFs) for quantum protons and deuterons in BH3, CH4, NH3, H2O, and HF molecular systems and their deuterated counterparts were analyzed using the second-order Moller-Plesset (MP2) level of theory of the multicomponent molecular orbital (MCMO-MP2) method. This method can simultaneously determine both nuclear and electronic wave functions. Results showed that the average alpha value (alpha(ave)) of the optimized alpha in single s-type ([1s]) GTF for a proton and a deuteron is similar to that determined using the Hartree-Fock level of the MCMO (MCMO-HF) method. In contrast, due to the electron-nucleus correlation effect, the s- and p-type ([1s1p]) GTFs are delocalized compared with those determined using the MCMO-HF method. For the H-bonded complexes, differences in the interaction energy induced by the H/D isotope effect were clearly evident because the D...Y bond distance for D complex is longer than the H...Y for H complex. Also, the basis set superposition error for the interaction energy in every H complex was similar to that in every D complex. The results here clearly demonstrate that the protonic and deuteronic basis functions based on alpha(ave) values for correlation effects can be applied to the detailed analysis of the quantum effects of protons and the H/D isotope effect in widespread fields that involve H bonds and weak interactions, such as the function of biological molecules, chemical reaction processes, and the design of new materials.     

Integration of an anti-tumor drug into nanocrystalline assemblies for sustained drug release

Delicate mesoscopic architectures, bearing complex forms with multiple hierarchy levels, lead to significant functions in biogenic minerals. Herein, a bio-inspired approach was developed to fabricate comet-shaped assemblies of an anti-tumor drug – 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT). The anti-solvent co-precipitation of HCPT and the excipient – PEG-b-PLGA – within the emulsifier leads to the immediate nucleation of comet bundles, followed by a secondary nucleation to generate the comet head, which is an assembly of nanofibers aligned almost in parallel. The continuous manufacturing furnishes drug–excipient hybrid particles with high drug-loading and a sustained drug release profile. This simple and efficient bio-inspired approach led to a promising sustained local drug delivery system, and could be extended to the fabrication of other functional organic materials bearing mesoscopic structural units.     

New dendrimers containing a single cobaltocenium unit covalently attached to the apical position of Newkome dendrons: electrochemistry and guest binding interactions with cucurbit[7]uril

Two new dendrimer series were prepared and characterized. These dendrimers contain a single bis(cyclopentadienyl)cobalt(III) (cobaltocenium, Cob+) unit covalently attached to the apical (focal) position of Newkome-type dendrons, ranging in size from first to third generation. The dendrimers in the first series (1ECob+-3ECob+) are hydrophobic and have 3, 9, and 27 tert-butyl esters on their peripheries, whereas the dendrimers in the second series (1Cob+-3Cob+) are hydrophilic with 3, 9, and 27 carboxylic acid groups on their surfaces, respectively. In voltammetric experiments, all dendrimers showed the expected one-electron reversible reduction of the cobaltocenium center, and the heterogeneous rate of electron transfer decreased with generation in both dendrimer series. The host-guest binding interactions between water-soluble dendrimers 1Cob+-3Cob+ and the cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) host were investigated using 1H NMR spectroscopy, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and electrochemical techniques. The association equilibrium constants (K) for all dendrimer guests were significantly lower than that measured for the inclusion complex between underivatized Cob+ and CB7 (K = 5.7 x 10(9) M(-1)). Nonetheless, among the three dendrimers surveyed, the second-generation dendrimer, 2Cob+, afforded optimum stabilization for the CB7 inclusion complex.     

10-羟基喜树碱-癸二酸-LDH杂化物的制备及性能

采用二次插层法成功制备了10-羟基喜树碱(HCPT)-癸二酸(SC)插层的层状双金属氢氧化物(LDH). 先采用共沉淀法制备SC柱撑LDH杂化物(SC-LDH), 再在乙醇介质中将HCPT插入LDH层间形成HCPT-SC-LDH纳米杂化物. 依据SC和HCPT的分子尺寸和纳米杂化物的通道高度, 推测SC分子在层间可能为双层排列, SC分子两端的羧基同时键合在同一个LDH层片表面上; HCPT分子插入(或溶入)SC分子碳氢链形成的疏水区中. 所制备的纳米杂化物既可稳定HCPT的内酯环, 又可明显提高HCPT的溶解度, 还具有明显的药物缓释效果, 其释放动力学过程符合准二级动力学方程.