Marcromolecular Architecture and Encapsulation of the Anticancer Drug Everolimus Controls the Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Polypeptide-Containing Hybrids.

Marcromolecular Architecture and Encapsulation of the Anticancer Drug Everolimus Controls the Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Polypeptide-Containing Hybrids. Biomacromolecules. 2019 Nov 07;: Authors: Karatzas A, Haataja JS, Skoulas D, Bilalis P, Varlas S, Apostolidi P, Sofianopoulou S, Stratikos E, Houbenov N, Ikkala O, Iatrou H Abstract Macromolecular architecture has an important role in the self-assembly process of block copolymer amphiphiles. Herein, two series of stimuli-responsive amphiphilic 3-miktoarm star hybrid terpolypeptides and their corresponding linear analogues were synthesized and exhibited the same overall composition and molecular weight but different macromolecular architecture. The macromolecular architecture was found to be a key parameter in defining the morphology of the nanostructures formed in aqueous solutions as well as to alter the self-assembly behavior of the polymers independently of the composition. In addition, it was found that the assemblies prepared from the star-shaped polymers showed superior tolerance over enzymatic degradation due to the increased corona block density on the surface of the nanoparticles. Encapsulation of the hydrophobic anticancer drug Everolimus resulted in the formation of intriguing non-spherical and non-symmetric pH-responsive nanostructures, such as "stomatocytes" and "multi-compartmentalized suprapolymersomes", while the pH-triggered release of the drug was also investigate...
Source: Biomacromolecules - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Tags: Biomacromolecules Source Type: research