Functional disulfide-stabilized polymer-protein particles

Biomacromolecules. 2009 Dec 14;10(12):3253-8. doi: 10.1021/bm900817a.

Abstract

Polymer-protein hybrid particles (PPHPs) have a significant potential in drug delivery, diagnosis, and biomedical imaging applications. Herein, we describe a simple route to disulfide cross-linked, poly(ethylene glycol)-streptavidin hybrid particles with tunable diameters. These particles have great versatility and potential for a number of reasons. First, they possess free biotin binding sites on their streptavidin (SAv) coated surface, enabling the conjugation of any biotinylated-molecule such as biotinylated antibodies. Second, core-stabilization can easily be controlled using reversible disulfide cross-links, and third, thiol- and ene-reactive functionalities in the core are available for the conjugation of drugs and labels. In detail, micelles having a biotinylated poly(ethylene glycol) corona and a disulfide cross-linked, reactive core were formed using alpha-biotin PEG-b-poly(pyridyldisulfide ethylmethacrylate) block copolymers synthesized via RAFT polymerization. Functionalization of the micelle core was performed in a one-pot reaction concurrent with the micellization and cross-linking processes by using a thiol-reactive model compound (a maleimide derivative of a green fluorophore). The resultant micelles displayed spherical morphology with a diameter of 54 +/- 4 nm. Biotin functionality was largely exposed on the micelle corona (75 mol % availability), as determined by a streptavidin/HABA assay. The micelles were subsequently decorated with (red fluorophore-labeled) streptavidin (SAv) through the accessible biotins on the surface, yielding SAv-linked micelle aggregates with tunable dimensions (in the range between 350 nm and 2 microm), as determined by transmission electron microscopy. Fluorescent-labels on the particles were monitored using confocal microscopy, revealing that the SAv coats the periphery of the PPHPs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Disulfides / chemistry*
  • Micelles*
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemical synthesis
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry*
  • Polymethacrylic Acids / chemical synthesis
  • Polymethacrylic Acids / chemistry*
  • Streptavidin / chemistry*

Substances

  • Disulfides
  • Micelles
  • Polymethacrylic Acids
  • alpha-biotin polyethylene glycol-b-poly(pyridyldisulfide ethylmethacrylate)
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Streptavidin