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The synthesis and study of self-association and encapsulation ability of new low toxic conjugate of tetraphenyleneoxypentylcalix[4]resorcinarene and methoxy-poly(ethylene glycole) (C5OPh-mPEG) were described. The conjugate is characterized by 1H, 13C NMR, FT-IR, MS, SLS methods. In an aqueous solution the conjugate form multimicellar nanoparticles with low polydispersity value (0.1, DLS method). The self-association of the conjugate was studied by DLS, fluorescence, fluorescence anisotropy method, TEM, and SAXS methods. The SAXS data were detailed analyzed, and the conjugate associates structure as ellipsoidal core-shell particles was proposed. The encapsulation efficiency is a result of the affinity of the conjugate low rim substituents to substrates and reaches of 39.8, 26.7, and 28.9% toward naproxen, ibuprofen and doxorubicin drugs, respectively.

The present work introduces various synthetic and post-synthetic modes of co-doping of oleate-oleylamine-stabilized Cu(2−x)S cores with red emitting [Ru(dipy)3]2+ into amino-modified silica nanoparticles (SNs) with the aim to combine chemodynamic therapy (CDT) with cellular uptake and imaging functions. Thereto, the ROS generation by the Cu(2−x)S embedded into the SNs was manifested by the spin trap facilitated ESR technique and correlated with such parameters as size of the embedded cores, content and oxidation extent of copper ions. The parameters were varied through the different extent of an oxidative degradation of the embedded Cu(2−x)S cores by their post-treating with histidine, polyethylenimine and citrate-stabilized carbon dots (CDs). The treating by CDs was chosen as the optimal post-synthetic modification of the composite SNs due to combination of CDT with high stability to aggregation. The green or dual green-red emission of the CD-treated composite SNs visualizes their cell internalization and intracellular localization by means of fluorescence and confocal microscopy methods. Correlation of cytotoxicity data of the differently treated composite SNs with their ability to ROS generation and the intracellular localization highlight the enhanced cell internalization and nuclear confinement of the CD-treated composite SNs as the factor enhancing their cytotoxicity in greater extent than the CDT function.

The development of new nanomaterials with therapeutic potential is a modern task due to their outstanding properties and promising effectiveness. Here the usage of acylhydrazone bond-based сalix[4]resorcinarene-mPEG conjugate (C11-mPEG) in the formation of both supramolecular and hybrid nanoparticles with in vitro photodynamic therapy (PDT) activity is described. C11-mPEG is hydrolyzed with a decrease in pH of solution; the conjugate and its degradation product have the low hemolytic activity and low cytotoxicity against normal cells. The self-association of the conjugate was studied in the aqueous solutions with pH 7.4 and 5. C11-mPEG forms self-associates that serve as pH-sensitive supramolecular nanocontainers for photosensitizer Methylene Blue (MB). In the in vitro PDT experiment the stronger decrease of tumor cells (M-Hela cells) viability in the presence of encapsulated MB is observed in comparison with free MB. Also C11-mPEG acts as a stabilizing agent for Ag@AgCl nanoparticles, which were obtained with 5/1 and 2/1 Ag+/C11-mPEG molar ratio and different reducing agents (sodium borohydride and hydrazine hydrate). The stronger cytotoxicity of hybrid NPs against tumor cells in comparison with normal was shown. Further it was found that the irradiation of the hybrid nanoparticles at 630 nm leads to the sharp increase in their cytotoxicity against M-Hela cells. The high level of ROS formation in the cells in the presence of both supramolecular and hybrid NPs under in vitro PDT experiment was determined.

A novel low toxic amide calix[4]resorcinarene–mPEG conjugates of amphiphilic and dendrimeric character were synthesized. It was shown that the growth of the temperature or the ionic strength growth of the solution leads to different demonstration of the amplification of hydrophobic interactions in the conjugates self-associates. It was found that in PBS or 0.9 % NaCl solutions the amphiphilic conjugate form micellar solution, and the dendrimeric conjugate – hydrogel, which is capable of the reversible sol-gel transition. It was shown by DSC analysis that the dendrimeric conjugate binds of 15 % of water molecules in an aqueous solution (non-freezing bound water), but in the salt solution the conjugate-water interaction is practically absent. This leads to the additional self-aggregation of conjugate molecules and to the gel formation. The high degree of substrate sorption by the hydrogel (Methylene Blue, encapsulation effectiveness is 78 %) and its reversible binding-release by the regulation of the solution ionic strength have been demonstrated.

The growing resistance of bacteria to traditional antibiotics makes it necessary to develop new antimicrobial agents with the dissimilar mode of action such as Ag and AgCl nanoparticles. Here the synthesis of silver NPs in the colloidal solutions of calix[4] resorcinarene-mPEG conjugate C11-mPEG was reported. NPs were synthesized under varied conditions: different Ag+/C11-mPEG molar ratio, presence/absence of reducing agent (NaBH4), in dark or LED light exposure. It was found that in all cases Ag-AgCl NPs, stabilized by C11-mPEG, were obtained with the difference in the Ag NPs content and sizes. Physicochemical characteristics of the Ag-AgCl@C11-mPEG NPs were evaluated by UV–vis, FT-IR, XRPD, XRF, DLS, and TEM methods. The antimicrobial activity of NPs against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi was studied and the preferred antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria was found. The proposed scheme of Ag-AgCl@C11-mPEG NPs and the influence of NPs content on the antimicrobial activity were discussed.

The synthesis of new conjugates of calix[4]resorcinarenes and methoxy-PEG via acylhydrazone bonds and their study in the formation of pH-sensitive low-toxic supramolecular drug delivery systems have described. The syntheses have been performed on the base of two calix[4]resorcinarenes in chair and boat conformations to obtain the dendrimer-like and amphiphilic conjugates, respectively. The structures of the conjugates have been confirmed by 1H, 13C NMR, and FT-IR spectroscopy, Maldi-TOF mass spectroscopy, and SLS method. The self-association of both amphiphilic and dendrimer-like conjugates has been found (NMR FT-PGSE, fluorimetry, DLS and TEM methods). The hydrolysis of the conjugates at pH 5.5 (proved by 1H NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy, DLS method) lead to the improved release of the conjugate-encapsulated Dox. The low hemolytic activity and low cytotoxicity against Chang liver cells of the conjugates and products of their hydrolysis have been demonstrated. Meanwhile, the improved cytotoxicity and photodynamic activity of conjugates-encapsulated drugs (Dox and Methylene Blue, respectively) has been found in vitro. The results have indicated the potential using of the calix[4]resorcinarene-mPEG conjugates bearing acylhydrazone bonds as supramolecular drug delivery systems.