The influence of hard‐segments on two‐phase structure and shape memory properties of PCL‐based segmented polyurethanes

Poly(ε‐caprolactone)‐based segmented polyurethanes (PCLUs) were prepared from poly(ε‐caprolactone) diol, diisocyanates (DI), and 1,4‐butanediol. The DIs used were 4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), 2,4‐toluenediisocyanate (TDI), isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI). Differential scanning calorimetry, small‐angle X‐ray scattering, and dynamic mechanical analysis were employed to characterize the two‐phase structures of all PCLUs. It was found that HDI‐ and MDI‐based PCLUs had higher degree of microphase separation than did IPDI‐ and TDI‐based PCLUs, which was primarily due to the crystallization of HDI‐ and MDI‐based hard‐segments. As a result, the HDI‐based PCLU exhibited the highest recovery force up to 6 MPa and slowest stress relaxation with increasing temperature. Besides, it was found that the partial damage in hard‐segment domains during the sample deformation was responsible for the incomplete shape‐recovery of PCLUs after the first deformation, but the damage did not develop during the subsequent deformation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 557–570, 2007     

Polypeptide/Doxorubicin Hydrochloride Polymersomes Prepared Through Organic Solvent‐free Technique as a Smart Drug Delivery Platform

Rapid and efficient side‐chain functionalization of polypeptide with neighboring carboxylgroups is achieved via the combination of ring‐opening polymerization and subsequent thiol‐yne click chemistry. The spontaneous formation of polymersomes with uniform size is found to occur in aqueous medium via electrostatic interaction between the anionic polypeptide and cationic doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX·HCl). The polymersomes are taken up by A549 cells via endocytosis, with a slightly lower cytotoxicity compared with free DOX ·HCl. Moreover, the drug‐loaded polymersomes exhibit the enhanced therapeutic efficacy, increase apoptosis in tumor tissues, and reduce systemic toxicity in nude mice bearing A549 lung cancer xenograft, in comparison with free DOX ·HCl.     

药物化学中的大分子效应※

药物种类按照分子量来划分可以分为小分子药物(自然提取或化学合成的)和大分子药物(生物制剂). 尽管目前小分子药物仍然是市场的主流, 但其研发增速趋缓, 而大分子药物在药物研发中的地位日渐突显, 并被预期在未来药物市场中占据越来越高的份额. 除了生物制剂大分子药物, 将小分子药物与天然或合成大分子结合制备得到的化学合成大分子药物, 近年来受到药物研究者们越来越多的关注. 由于大分子具有丰富的骨架结构及空间构架, 其所特有的骨架效应、多价效应, 以及通过分子组装而产生的聚集效应和靶向效应等, 能够为药物化学的设计带来更多新的可能. 有鉴于此, 本综述将简略介绍药物化学设计中的大分子效应, 重点讨论合成大分子的骨架效应、多价效应、聚集效应和靶向效应等为药物化学设计所带来的新性能. 通过对药物化学中大分子效应所带来的优势、问题和重要研究进展的探讨, 以期能够推动化学合成大分子药物的发展, 为药物化学设计提供新的思路.     

In situ vaccination and gene-mediated PD-L1 blockade for enhanced tumor immunotherapy

Despite of the promising achievements of immune checkpoints blockade therapy (ICB) in the clinic, which was often limited by low objective responses and severe side effects. Herein, we explored a synergistic strategy to combine in situ vaccination and gene-mediated anti-PD therapy, which was generated by unmethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) and pshPD-L1 gene co-delivery. PEI worked as the delivery carrier to co-deliver the CpG and pshPD-L1 genes, the formed PDC (PEI/DNA/CpG) nanoparticles were further shielded by aldehyde modified polyethylene glycol (OHC-PEG-CHO) via pH responsive Schiff base reaction for OHC-PEG-CHO-PEI/DNA/CpG nanoparticles (P(PDC) NPs) preparation. All steps could be finished within 30 min. Such simple nanoparticles achieved the synergistic antitumor efficacy in B16F10 tumor-bearing mice, and the amplified T cell responses, together with enhanced NK cells infiltration were observed after the combined treatments. In addition, the pH responsive delivery system reduced the side effects triggered by anti-PD therapy. The facile and effective combination strategy we presented here might provide a novel treatment for tumor inhibition.     

Polylactide-based polyurethane and its shape-memory behavior

A series of polylactide polyurethanes (PLAUs) were synthesized from poly(l-lactide) diols, hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), and 1,4-butanediol (BDO). Their thermal and mechanical properties and shape-memory behavior were studied by infrared spectroscopy (IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), tensile testing, and thermal mechanical analysis (TMA). The T_gs of these polymers were in the range of 33-53 °C, and influenced by the M_n of the PLA diol and the ratio of the soft-segment to the hard-segment. These materials can restore their shapes almost completely after 150% elongation or twofold compression. By changing the M_n of the PLA diol and the ratio of the hard-to-soft-segment, their T_gs and shape-recovery temperatures can be adjusted to the neighborhood of the body temperature. Therefore, these PLAUs are expected to find practical medical applications.     

聚谷氨酸接枝聚乙二醇@碳酸钙遮蔽体系用于提高聚乙烯亚胺基因转染效率

设计并合成了聚谷氨酸-聚乙二醇@碳酸钙(PPG@CaCO₃)纳米遮蔽体系, 用于遮蔽聚乙烯亚胺(PEI). 一方面, 聚谷氨酸-聚乙二醇(PPG)可以降低PEI引起的细胞毒性, 更有利于体内应用; 另一方面, CaCO₃可有效改善PPG导致的转染效率下降, 并在一定程度上提高PEI的细胞转染效率. 对比遮蔽体系PPG@CaCO₃和聚谷氨酸-聚乙二醇@磷酸钙[PPG@Ca₃(PO₄)₂]发现, PPG@CaCO₃在微酸性环境中释放二氧化碳气体是提高细胞转染效率的关键因素. 小鼠体内循环实验表明, PPG@CaCO₃遮蔽体系可以增加载体在血液中的循环时间. 因此, PPG@CaCO₃遮蔽体系对于改善阳离子类基因载体的体内应用起到重要作用.     

Bioactive polypeptide hydrogels modified with RGD and N-cadherin mimetic peptide promote chondrogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Cell-material and cell-cell interactions represent two crucial aspects of the regulation of cell behavior. In the present study, poly(L-glutamic acid)(PLG) hydrogels were prepared by catalyst-free click crosslinking via a strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition(SPAAC) reaction between azido-grafted PLG(PLG-N_3) and azadibenzocyclooctyne-grafted PLG(PLG-ADIBO).The bioactive peptides c(RGDfK) and N-cadherin mimetic peptide(N-Cad) were both conjugated to the PLG hydrogel(denoted PLG+RGD/N-Cad) in order to regulate cell-material and cell-cell interactions. Gelation time and storage modulus of the hydrogels were tunable through variations in the concentration of polypeptide precursors. The hydrogels degraded gradually in the presence of proteinases. The viability of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs) was maintained when cultured with extracts of the hydrogels or encapsulated within the hydrogels. Degradation was observed within 10 weeks following the subcutaneous injection of hydrogel solution in rats, displaying excellent histocompatibility in vivo. The introduction of RGD into the PLG hydrogel promoted the adhesion of BMSCs onto the hydrogels. Moreover, when encapsulated within the PLG+RGD/NCad hydrogel, BMSCs secreted cartilage-specific matrix, in addition to chondrogenic gene and protein expression being significantly enhanced in comparison with BMSCs encapsulated in hydrogels without N-Cad modification. These findings suggest that these biodegradable, bioactive polypeptide hydrogels have great potential for use in 3D cell culture and in cartilage tissue engineering.     

聚乳酸熔体纺丝、粘接和吸附性能的初步研究

针对制备香烟过滤嘴用丝束和过滤嘴棒的特殊需要,研究了聚乳酸的纺丝、粘接和吸附性能,通过流变学测量考察了各种加工因素对熔体流动性和可纺性的影响,特别是残留水分的影响,用分子量、DSC和力学性能测量跟踪了熔体纺丝和后加工过程.所获结果对确定聚乳酸树脂的规格范围,确定纺丝和后加工工艺,具有参考价值.