From viruses to nanoparticles, constructs functionalized with multiple ligands display peculiar binding properties that only arise from multivalent effects. Using statistical mechanical modelling, we describe here how multivalency can be exploited to achieve what we dub range selectivity, that is, binding only to targets bearing a number of receptors within a specified range. We use our model to characterise the region in parameter space where one can expect range selective targeting to occur, and provide experimental support for this phenomenon. Overall, range selectivity represents a potential path to increase the targeting selectivity of multivalent constructs.
Polypeptide-based
nanoparticles offer unique advantages from a
nanomedicine perspective such as biocompatibility, biodegradability,
and stimuli-responsive properties to (patho)physiological conditions.
Conventionally, self-assembled polypeptide nanostructures are prepared
by first synthesizing their constituent amphiphilic polypeptides followed
by postpolymerization self-assembly. Herein, we describe the one-pot
synthesis of oxidation-sensitive supramolecular micelles and vesicles.
This was achieved by polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) of
the
N
-carboxyanhydride (NCA) precursor of methionine
using poly(ethylene oxide) as a stabilizing and hydrophilic block
in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). By adjusting the hydrophobic block length
and concentration, we obtained a range of morphologies from spherical
to wormlike micelles, to vesicles. Remarkably, the secondary structure
of polypeptides greatly influenced the final morphology of the assemblies.
Surprisingly, wormlike micellar morphologies were obtained for a wide
range of methionine block lengths and solid contents, with spherical
micelles restricted to very short hydrophobic lengths. Wormlike micelles
further assembled into oxidation-sensitive, self-standing gels in
the reaction pot. Both vesicles and wormlike micelles obtained using
this method demonstrated to degrade under controlled oxidant conditions,
which would expand their biomedical applications such as in sustained
drug release or as cellular scaffolds in tissue engineering.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.