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The development of compartments for the design of cascade reactions in a local space requires a selective spatiotemporal control. The combination of enzyme-loaded polymersomes with enzymelike units shows a great potential in further refining the diffusion barrier and the type of reactions in nanoreactors. Herein, pH-responsive and ferrocene-containing block copolymers were synthesized to realize pH-stable and multiresponsive polymersomes. Permeable membrane, peroxidase-like behavior induced by the redox-responsive ferrocene moieties and release properties were validated using cyclovoltammetry, dye TMB assay, and rupture of host-guest interactions with β-cyclodextrin, respectively. Due to the incorporation of different block copolymers, the membrane permeability of glucose oxidase-loaded polymersomes was changed by increasing extracellular glucose concentration and in TMB assay, allowing for the chemoenzymatic cascade reaction. This study presents a potent synthetic, multiresponsive nanoreactor platform with tunable (e.g., redox-responsive) membrane properties for potential application in therapeutics.

Most sophisticated biological functions and features of cells are based on self-organization, and the coordination and connection between their cell organelles determines their key functions. Therefore, spatially ordered and controllable self-assembly of polymersomes to construct clusters to simulate complex intracellular biological functions has attracted widespread attention. Here, we present a simple one-step copper-free click strategy to cross-link nanoscale pH-responsive and photo-cross-linked polymersomes (less than 100 nm) to micron-level clusters (more than 90% in 0.5-2 μm range). Various influencing factors in the clustering process and subsequent purification methods were studied to obtain optimal clustered polymeric vesicles. Even when polymeric vesicles separately loaded with different enzymes (glucose oxidase and myoglobin) are coclustered, the overall permeability of the clusters can still be regulated through tuning the pH values on demand. Compared with simple blending of those enzyme-loaded polymersomes, the rate of enzymatic cascade reaction increased significantly due to the interconnected complex microstructure established. The connection of catalytic nanocompartments into clusters confining different enzymes of a cascade reaction provides an excellent platform for the development of artificial systems mimicking natural organelles or cells.

While personalized therapy bears an enormous potential in cancer therapy, the development of flexible, tailorable delivery systems remains challenging. Here, we present a "tool-kit" of various avidin-based bioconjugates (BCs) for the preparation of personalized delivery systems. Corresponding BCs were synthesized using the self-assembly of avidin with various biotinylated ligands, such as one cationic glycodendrimer for dendriplex adsorption and two functional ligands for imaging (glycodendrimers with DOTA or NOTA units) or targeting (biotinylated PEG decorated with ligands). Substituting antibodies for targeting small molecules were coupled to biotin-PEG compounds for addressing the folate receptor (FR), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). After successful characterization and proof of good storage and redispersion properties of BCs, cytotoxicity assays and first in vivo imaging studies with 99mTc-complexing bioconjugates provide evidence that these BCs and their avidin analogues can be used as tool-kit components in theranostic systems for personalized medicine.

International audience; To mimic organelles and cells and to construct next-generation therapeutics, asymmetric functionalization and location of proteins for artificial vesicles is thoroughly needed to emphasize the complex interplay of biological units and systems through spatially separated and spatiotemporal controlled actions, release, and communications. For the challenge of vesicle (= polymersome) construction, the membrane permeability and the location of the cargo are important key characteristics that determine their potential applications. Herein, an in situ and post loading process of avidin in pH-responsive and photo-cross-linked polymersomes is developed and characterized. First, loading efficiency, main location (inside, lumen, outside), and release of avidin under different conditions have been validated, including the pH-stable presence of avidin in polymersomes’ membrane outside and inside. This advantageous approach allows us to selectively functionalize the outer and inner membranes as well as the lumen with several bio(macro)molecules, generally suited for the construction of asymmetrically functionalized artificial organelles. In addition, a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect was used to study the permeability or uptake of the polymersome membrane against a broad range of biotinylated (macro)molecules (different typology, sizes, and shapes) under different conditions.

This study describes new mechanistic insights in the sequential polyassociation of streptavidin with biotinylated poly(ethyleneimine) glycopolymers and biotinylated PEGylated folic acid components for the preparation of biohybrid structures (BHS) for controlled targeting experiments. Characterization of the BHS revealed that during the formation and postfunctionalization of BHS, reversible dissociation and reassociation processes occur. The BHS are stable over weeks after finalizing the equilibrium-driven polyassociation process. Cellular uptake studies showed that this sequential polyassociation involving biotinylated PEGylated folic acid components does not lead to enhanced cellular uptake of the resulting BHS. In contrast, polyplexes, containing small interfering RNA and bioconjugates (1:1 molar ratio between biotinylated glycopolymer and monomeric streptavidin-lectin fusion protein), enabled us to control the targeting of tumor cells as revealed by knockdown of the tumor-associated protein survivin. Overall, this study demonstrates the high potential of (networklike) streptavidin-biotin interactions with a dynamic character in the formation of complex BHS and extracellular matrix materials.

Key parameters allow a reproducible polyassociation between avidin and biotinylated glycopolymers in order to fabricate defined supramolecular nanostructures for future (bio)medical and biotechnological applications. Thus, the polymerization efficiency of biotinylated glycopolymers in the fabrication of biohybrid structures (BHS) was investigated with regard to the influence of (i) the degree of biotinylation of the dendritic glycoarchitectures, (ii) two biotin linkers, (iii) the dendritic scaffold (perfectly branched vs hyperbranched), and (iv) the ligand-receptor stoichiometry. The adjustment of all these parameters opens the way to fabricate defined sizes of the final biohybrid structures as a multifunctional platform ready for their use in different applications. Various analytical techniques, including purification of BHS, were used to gain fundamental insights into the structural properties of the resulting protein-glycopolymer BHS. Finally, the elucidation of pivotal conformational properties of isolated BHS with defined sizes by asymmetrical flow field flow fractionation study revealed that they mainly possess spherical-/star-like properties. From this study, the fundamental knowledge can be likely transferred to other assemblies formed by molecular recognition processes (e.g., adamantane-β-cyclodextrin).

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) has long been used as an additive in toothpaste, partly because it reduces biofilm formation on teeth. It does not, however, reduce the formation of dental calculus or support the remineralization of dental enamel or dentine. The present article describes the synthesis of new block copolymers on the basis of PEO and poly(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate) blocks using atom transfer radical polymerization. The polymers have very large molecular weights (over 10(6) g/mol) and are highly water-soluble. They delay the precipitation of calcium phosphate from aqueous solution but, upon precipitation, lead to relatively monodisperse hydroxyapatite (HAP) spheres. Moreover, the polymers inhibit the bacterial colonization of human enamel by Streptococcus gordonii, a pioneer bacterium in oral biofilm formation, in vitro. The formation of well-defined HAP spheres suggests that a polymer-induced liquid precursor phase could be involved in the precipitation process. Moreover, the inhibition of bacterial adhesion suggests that the polymers could be utilized in caries prevention.

Glycopolymers are promising materials in the field of biomedical applications and in the fabrication of supramolecular structures with specific functions. For tunable design of supramolecular structures, glycopolymer architectures with specific properties (e.g., controlled self-assembly) are needed. Using the concept of dendronized polymers, a series of H-bond active giant glycomacromolecules with maleimide backbone and lysine dendrons of different generations were synthesized. They possess different macromolecular size and functionality along the backbone. Their peripheral maltose units lead to solubility under physiological conditions and controlled aggregation behavior. The aggregation behavior was investigated depending on generation number, pH value, and concentration. A portfolio of complementary analytical tools give an insight into the influence of the different parameters in shaping a rod-, coil-, and worm-like molecular structure and their controlled aggregate formation. MD simulation helped us to understand the complex aggregation behavior of the linear polymer chain without dendritic units.