Synthesis of Cholesterylated Thiogalactosides for Gene Delivery

A series of cholesterylated thiogalactosides L₁ –L₆ the cell targeting ligands for gene delivery to hepatocytes, was synthesized. Related poly(ethylene glycol) chain was used as a bridge for the attachment of galactoside on one hydroxyl end, while the other hydroxyl end was linked with cholesterol. This design provided an effective entry for the synthesis of a poly(ethylene glycol) compound with the hepatocyte targeting.     

Protein Delivery by Enteric Copolymer Nanoparticles

The release profiles of bovine serum albumin nanoencapsulated into an enteric copolymer (methacrylic acid/ethyl acrylate blended with poly (ethylene glycol)) show an effective protection for this protein from the stringent pH gastric environment. The nanoParticles (nP) yield of about 90% and encapsulation efficiency of 77–78% indicate a successful control of the process. The experimental evidence leads to physical entanglements between PEG and the copolymer be considered as the driving factor to modulate the release.     

PEG接枝氧化石墨烯的制备与细胞成像

通过酯化反应将不同分子量的聚乙二醇（PEG）接枝到氧化石墨烯（GO）表面,得到系列GO-PEG。利用傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）、拉曼光谱（Raman）、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）对GO-PEG的结构和形貌进行了表征,用热重分析（TGA）测定了GO-PEG中PEG的接枝量。SEM结果表明GO-PEG的剥离程度高于GO。GO-PEG在磷酸盐缓冲溶液中具有良好的分散稳定性,稳定性与接枝量呈正相关。GO-PEG通过非共价键合作用对荧光素（Flu）的负载量可达1.75mg·mg^-1,且负载量受接枝量影响;另外,GO-PEG对Flu的释放行为具有pH值触发药物释放性能。将接枝PEG的端羟基与Flu共价键合,所得GO-PEG₆₀₀₀-Flu荧光探针实现了对HepG₂细胞的成像。     

Determination of six polyynes in Oplopanax horridus and Oplopanax elatus using polyethylene glycol modified reversed migration microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography

A PEG‐modified reversed migration MEEKC method was developed for simultaneous determination of six polyynes, including oplopandiol, falcarindiol, oplopandiol acetate, (11S, 16S, 9Z)‐9,17‐octadecadiene‐12,14‐diyne‐1,11,16‐triol,1‐acetate, oplopantriol B, and oplopantriol A, in Oplopanax horridus and Oplopanax elatus. The running buffer containing 0.8% v/v ethyl acetate, 3.8% w/v SDS, 6.6% v/v n‐butanol in 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 2.5), followed by mixing with propan‐2‐ol at 30% v/v and PEG‐1000 at 15% w/v, was applied in the analysis. The proposed method was successfully applied to determine the six polyynes in five samples of Oplopanax horridus and one of O. elatus. The result showed that the types and amounts of polyynes present were obviously different when comparing the two herbs. Besides, the developed PEG‐modified reversed MEEKC method might be suitable for the analysis of hydrophobic analytes in herbal medicines.     

Water-dispersible non-aqueous emulsions stabilized by a poly(butadiene)-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) block copolymer

Submicron non-aqueous emulsions, of interest for biomedical and cosmetic formulations, were developed for the system comprising poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) 400 and Miglyol 812, an enzymatic degradable liquid glycerine ester. These emulsions, with PEG 400 as continuous phase and Miglyol 812 droplets, in the size range of 200 nm, were stabilized by a poly(butadiene)-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PBut-b-P2VP) block copolymer with a composition close to 50/50 wt%. The droplet size, stability and the rheological characteristics were examined as a function of the copolymer concentration. An original aspect of these anhydrous emulsions, with a water miscible continuous phase, is their water dispersibility without additional surfactant. In fact, the initial anhydrous emulsion is sterically stabilized and after water addition at low pH, the protonated P2VP sequence of the copolymer provides the electro-steric stabilization. This oil-in-water emulsion is characterized by sub micron sized Miglyol 812 droplets in an aqueous phase of PEG 400 and water at pH 1.     

Polyaspartamide–Polylactide Graft Copolymers with Tunable Properties for the Realization of Fluorescent Nanoparticles for Imaging

Here, the synthesis and the characterization of novel amphiphilic graft copolymers with tunable properties, useful in obtaining polymeric fluorescent nanoparticles for application in imaging, are described. These copolymers are obtained by chemical conjugation of rhodamine B (RhB) moieties, polylactic acid (PLA), and O‐(2‐aminoethyl)‐O′‐methyl poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) on α,β‐poly(N‐2‐hydroxyethyl)‐d,l ‐aspartamide (PHEA). In particular, PHEA is first functionalized with RhB to obtain PHEA–RhB with a derivatization degree in RhB (DD_RhB) equal to 0.55 mol%. By varying the reaction conditions, different amounts of PLA are grafted on PHEA–RhB to obtain PHEA‐RhB‐PLA with DD_PLA equal to 1.9, 4.0, and 6.2 mol%. Then, PEG chains are grafted on PHEA‐RhB‐PLA derivatives to obtain PHEA‐RhB‐PLA‐PEG graft copolymers. The preparation of polymeric fluorescent nanoparticles with tunable properties and spherical shape is described by using PHEA‐RhB‐PLA‐PEG with DD in PLA and PEG equal to 4.0 and 4.9 mol%, by following easily scaling up processes, such as emulsion‐solvent evaporation and high pressure homogenization (HPH)‐solvent evaporation techniques.

     

Development of New Targeted Inulin Complex Nanoaggregates for siRNA Delivery in Antitumor Therapy

Here, a novel strategy of formulating efficient polymeric carriers based on the already described INU-IMI-DETA for gene material whose structural, functional, and biological properties can be modulated and improved was successfully investigated. In particular, two novel derivatives of INU-IMI-DETA graft copolymer were synthesized by chemical functionalisation with epidermal growth factor (EGF) or polyethylenglycol (PEG), named INU-IMI-DETA-EGF and INU-IMI-DETA-PEG, respectively, in order to improve the performance of already described “inulin complex nanoaggregates” (ICONs). The latter were thus prepared by appropriately mixing the two copolymers, by varying each component from 0 to 100 wt% on the total mixture, named EP-ICONs. It was seen that the ability of the INU-IMI-DETA-EGF/INU-IMI-DETA-PEG polymeric mixture to complex siGL3 increases with the increase in the EGF-based component in the EP-ICONs and, for each sample, with the increase in the copolymer:siRNA weight ratio (R). On the other hand, the susceptibility of loaded siRNA towards RNase decreases with the increase in the pegylated component in the polymeric mixture. At all R values, the average size and the zeta potential values are suitable for escaping from the RES system and suitable for prolonged intravenous circulation. By means of biological characterisation, it was shown that MCF-7 cells are able to internalize mainly the siRNA-loaded into EGF-decorated complexes, with a significant difference from ICONs, confirming its targeting function. The targeting effect of EGF on EP-ICONs was further demonstrated by a competitive cell uptake study, i.e., after cell pre-treatment with EGF. Finally, it was shown that the complexes containing both EGF and PEG are capable of promoting the internalisation and therefore the transfection of siSUR, a siRNA acting against surviving mRNA, and to increase the sensitivity to an anticancer agent, such as doxorubicin.     

Microporated PEG Spheres for Fluorescent Analyte Detection

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels have been used to encapsulate fluorescently labeled molecules in order to detect a variety of analytes. The hydrogels are designed with a mesh size that will retain the sensing elements while allowing for efficient diffusion of small analytes. Some sensing assays, however, require a conformational change or binding of large macromolecules, which may be sterically prohibited in a dense polymer matrix. A process of hydrogel microporation has been developed to create cavities within PEG microspheres to contain the assay components in solution. This arrangement provides improved motility for large sensing elements, while limiting leaching and increasing sensor lifetime. Three hydrogel compositions, 100% PEG, 50% PEG, and microporated 100% PEG, were used to create pH-sensitive microspheres that were tested for response time and stability. In order to assess motility, a second, more complex sensor, namely a FITC-dextran/TRITC-Con A glucose-specific assay was encapsulated within the microspheres.     

基于聚乙二醇接枝丙烯酸树酯光固化电解质的制备及性能研究

聚氧化乙烯(PEO)(聚乙二醇(PEG))和丙烯酸树脂在聚合物基电解质中具有很好的应用,本文通过紫外光引发单/双官能度的聚乙二醇接枝丙烯酸树脂单体聚合构建了离子电导率高、易于封装,可避免电解质泄漏的准固态聚合物电解质.通过调控聚乙二醇二甲基丙烯酸酯(PEGDA)和甲氧基聚乙二醇单甲基丙烯酸酯(PEGMA)2种单体的比例以及锂盐溶液的含量,成功制备出具有高离电导率的准固态聚合物电解质.采用傅里叶变换红外光谱仪(FTIR),电化学工作站对PEGMA/PEGDA基聚合物电解质进行表征,研究各组分比例对电解质的电化学性能影响.当PEGMA/PEGDA单体比例为75/25,锂盐溶液的占比为75%时,形成的薄膜状态电解质表现出1.96×10^?3 S·cm^?1的高离子电导率,较原始配比提高了14倍.将制备的电解质应用于电致变色器件,在580个变色循环后,器件依然可以实现稳定快速的颜色切换,2种颜色变换时间均在3 s以内,本文中研究的聚醚接枝丙烯酸树酯基电解质材料在电致变色器件中有较好的应用前景.     

PEG接枝氧化石墨烯的制备与细胞成像

通过酯化反应将不同分子量的聚乙二醇(PEG)接枝到氧化石墨烯(GO)表面,得到系列GO-PEG。利用傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)、拉曼光谱(Raman)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)对GO-PEG的结构和形貌进行了表征,用热重分析(TGA)测定了GO-PEG中PEG的接枝量。SEM结果表明GO-PEG的剥离程度高于GO。GO-PEG在磷酸盐缓冲溶液中具有良好的分散稳定性,稳定性与接枝量呈正相关。GO-PEG通过非共价键合作用对荧光素(Flu)的负载量可达1.75 mg·mg-1,且负载量受接枝量影响;另外,GO-PEG对Flu的释放行为具有pH值触发药物释放性能。将接枝PEG的端羟基与Flu共价键合,所得GO-PEG6000-Flu荧光探针实现了对HepG2细胞的成像。