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A new three-component bio-inspired adhesive was synthesizedthatis a terpolymer composed of a water-soluble segment, an interfacialadhesion segment, and a cross-linking segment. Strong wet adhesionproperties are obtained utilizing a 3,4-dihydroxy-l-phenylalanine(DOPA) moiety. Poly(acrylic acid) provides high water solubility dueto strong ionic interactions with water. An acrylic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (NHS) was included in the adhesive polymerto allow rapid cross-linking with thiol-terminated, 3-armed poly(ethyleneglycol) cross-linking agents. The thiol terminal poly(ethylene glycol)was designed to be bulky to avoid possible penetration of moleculesto the cell and tissue. The NHS and thiol groups react within 30 sto form covalent bonds. This design allows for rapid optimizationof properties for specific applications. Lap shear strength testson wet porcine skin demonstrated a 190% increased value in adhesionstrength for adhesives having the DOPA moiety. After cross-linking,adhesion was enhanced by 450% over poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylic acid NHS) and was 240% higher than un-cross-linked poly(acrylicacid-co-acrylic acid NHS-co-N-methacryloyl-3,4-dihydroxyl-l-phenylalanine).Rheology studies show adhesive viscosity drops significantly at highshear rates, demonstrating its potential to be injected via syringe.The cross-linked adhesive displayed much stronger mechanical propertiesand higher elastic and viscous moduli than an un-cross-linked adhesivemodel. Furthermore, the cross-linked adhesive has enhanced modulinear body temperature (38 °C) as compared to room temperature(23 °C), increasing the applications as a biomedical adhesive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the practical issues of polymer molecularweight determination,the first accurate polymer weight-average molecular weight determinationmethod in diverse living/controlled polymerization via DOSY (diffusion-orderedNMR spectroscopy) is reported. Based on the linear correlation betweenthe logarithm of diffusion coefficient (log D) andthe molecular weights (log Mw), externalcalibration curves were created to give predictions of molecular weightsof narrowly dispersed polymers. This method was successfully appliedto atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), reversible addition–fragmentationchain transfer (RAFT), and ring-opening metathesis polymerization(ROMP), with weight-average molecular weights given by this methodclosely correlated to those obtained from GPC measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PI3K/AKT/FOXO3 pathway is one of the most frequently involved signaling pathways in cancer, including breast cancer. Therefore, we synthesized a novel lysine-rich polypeptide (Lys-PP) using de novo assembly method and evaluated its anticancer effect. We characterized the structural and physicochemical properties of Lys-PP using various techniques. Later, we used integrated approaches such as in silico , in vitro , and in vivo analysis to confirm the anticancer and therapeutic effect of Lys-PP. First, RNA sequencing suggests Lys-PP disrupted the central carbon metabolic pathway through the modulation of prolactin signaling. Additionally, docking analysis also confirmed the significant association of PI3K/AKT and FOXO3 pathway to induce an apoptotic effect on cancer. Second, Lys-PP exhibited a significant cytotoxicity effect against MDA-MB-231 but no cytotoxic effects on RAW 264.7 and HEK-293, respectively. The cytotoxic effect of Lys-PP-induced apoptosis by an increase in FOXO3a protein expression and a decrease in PI3K/AKT pathway was confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunoblotting, and fluorescent microscopy. Later, immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin and eosin staining on MDA-MD-231 showed increased FOXO3a expression and cell death in the xenograft mice model. Further, liver function, metabolic health, or lipid profile upon Lys-PP showed the absence of significant modulation in the biomarkers except for kidney-related biomarkers. Overall, our comprehensive study provides the first evidence of Lys-PP antibreast cancer action, which could serve as a potential treatment in an alternative or complementary medicine practice., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 American Chemical Society.)

A highly removable N-heterocyclic carbene ligand for a transition-metal catalyst in aqueous media via host-guest interactions has been developed. Water-soluble adamantyl tethered ethylene glycol in the ligand leads a hydrophobic inclusion into the cavity of β-cyclodextrin. Ruthenium (Ru) olefin metathesis catalyst with this ligand demonstrated excellent performance in various metathesis reactions in water as well as in CH 2 Cl 2 , and removal of residual Ru was performed via filtration utilizing a host-guest interaction and extraction.

A general method, focusing upon olefin metathesis, was developed for the recovery of homogeneous olefin metathesis catalysts from crude reaction solutions. This method utilizes the supramolecular host-guest interaction between an azobenzene-modified N -heterocyclic carbene ligand and a silica-grafted β-cyclodextrin to remove homogeneous catalyst in a heterogeneous manner, allowing for the recovery of more than 97% of ruthenium in solution. The robust and simple nature of the guest molecule allows for the application of this method to a wide range of homogeneous catalysts. This study reports the synthesis and characterization of the said precatalyst and host compound as well as proof-of-concept recovery trials for a number of common substrates, with the residual ruthenium content of reaction mixtures evaluated by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest.

A bioinspired, modular terpolymer adhesive, poly(N-methacryloyl-3,4-dihydroxyl-l-phenylalanine-co-9-(acryloyloxy)butyl anthracene-9-carboxylate-co-acrylic acid), has been synthesized containing three different functionalities: a photo-cross-linking segment, a wet interfacial adhesion segment, and a water-soluble segment. The synthesized adhesive polymer is the first example of a single-phase, photo-cross-linkable adhesive which does not require additional photoinitiator or other cross-linking agents. The terpolymer demonstrates strong adhesion when it swells in water and/or ethanol. The terpolymer is composed of three repeating units: N-methacryloyl-3,4-dihydroxyl-l-phenylalanine (MDOPA), which has been known to generate strong adhesion under wet conditions, poly(acrylic acid), which has been known to increase water solubility of polymers, and a photo-cross-linking segment consisting of an anthracene-based monomer used for enhancement of cohesion properties via UV irradiation (352 nm). A photomediated [4 + 4] cycloaddition reaction of anthracene results in the cross-linking of individual polymer chains after interfacial adhesion between substrates and adhesive polymers. Chemically, the covalent photo-cross-linking was confirmed by UV-vis, 1 H NMR, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The cross-linking-fortified cohesion of the adhesive polymer network yields strengthened cohesion properties of the bulk material. The photoreaction was conveniently controlled via the duration of UV-irradiation. The adhesion properties of new adhesives were characterized by lap shear strength on transparent Mylar film and glasses after the adhesive was swollen in biologically friendly solvents including water and ethanol. The adhesion strength (J/m 2 ) was enhanced by 850% under 352 nm UV-irradiation. Multiple application variables were tested to determine the optimal conditions, such as solvent, concentration, polymer composition, and substrate. The best adhesion properties were obtained from a 1:1 weight ratio of polymer:solvent in water on a Mylar film surface. As a single-phase system, the synthesized terpolymer is very convenient to use, and its adhesion strength can be easily modified by UV light. Additionally, the terpolymer's high water compatibility makes it ideally suited for application in the biomedical field.

A new terpolymer adhesive, poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate-co-N-methacryloyl 3,4-dihydroxyl-l-phenylalanine-co-heptaisobutyl substituted polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane propyl methacrylate) (poly(MEA-co-MDOPA-co-MPOSS) was synthesized by thermally initiated radical polymerization. In this study, we investigated the effect of the POSS component on adhesion, mechanical, and optical properties of the catechol-group containing bioinspired adhesives. The terpolymer contains the catechol group which is known to improve the adhesion properties of polymers. Only a very small amount of the POSS-containing monomer, MPOSS, was included, 0.5 mol %. In the presence of POSS, the synthesized poly(MEA-co-MDOPA-co-MPOSS) demonstrated strong adhesion properties, 23.2 ± 6.2 J/m 2 with 0.05 N preloading and 300 s holding time, compared to many previously prepared catechol-containing adhesives. The mechanical properties (Young's modulus and stress at 10% strain) of the POSS-containing terpolymer showed significant increases (6-fold higher) over the control polymer, which does not contain POSS. Optical transmittance of the synthesized terpolymer was also improved significantly in the visible light range, 450-750 nm. Cell testing with human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293A) indicates that the new terpolymer is a promising candidate in biomedical adhesives without acute cytotoxicity. The synthesized poly(MEA-co-MDOPA-co-MPOSS) is the first example of POSS-containing pressure sensitive bioinspired adhesive for biomedical applications. The study of poly(MEA-co-MDOPA-co-MPOSS) demonstrated a convenient method to enhance two important properties, mechanical and optical properties, by the addition of a very small amount of POSS. Based on this study, it was found that POSS can be used to strengthen mechanical properties of bioinspired adhesive without the need for a covalent cross-linking step.

Chemical modification strategies to improve the mechanical properties of lignin-based polyurethanes are presented. We hypothesized that treatment of lignin with Lewis acids would increase the concentration of hydroxyl groups available to react with diisocyanate monomers. Under the conditions used, hydrogen bromide-catalyzed modification resulted in a 28% increase in hydroxyl group content. Associated increases in hydrophilicity of solvent-cast thin films were also recorded as evidenced by decreases in water contact angle. Polyurethanes were then prepared by first preparing a prepolymer based on mixtures of toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) and unmodified or modified lignin, then polymerization was completed through addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG), resulting in mass ratios of TDI:lignin:PEG of 43:17:40 in the compositions investigated here. The mixture of TDI and unmodified lignin resulted in a lignin powder at the bottom of the liquid, suggesting it did not react directly with TDI. However, a homogeneous solution resulted when TDI and the hydrogen bromide-treated lignin were mixed, suggesting demethylation indeed increased reactivity and resulted in better integration of lignin into the urethane network. Significant improvements in mechanical properties of modified lignin polyurethanes were observed, with a 6.5-fold increase in modulus, which were attributed to better integration of the modified lignin into the covalent polymer network due to the higher concentration of hydroxyl groups. This research indicates that chemical modification strategies can lead to significant improvements in the properties of lignin-based polymeric materials using a higher fraction of an inexpensive lignin monomer from renewable resources and a lower fraction an expensive, petroleum-derived isocyanate monomer to achieve the required material properties.

Using principles inspired by the study of naturally occurring sticky systems such as the micro- and nanoscale fibers on the toes of geckos and the adhesive proteins secreted by marine animals such as mussels, this study describes the development and evaluation of a novel patterned and coated elastomeric microfibrillar material for enhanced repeatable adhesion and shear in wet environments. A multistep fabrication process consisting of optical lithography, micromolding, polymer synthesis, dipping, stamping, and photopolymerization is described to produce uniform arrays of polyurethane elastomeric microfibers with mushroom-shaped tips coated with a thin layer of lightly cross-linked p(DMA-co-MEA), an intrinsically adhesive synthetic polymer. Adhesion and shear force characterization of these arrays in contact with a glass hemisphere is demonstrated, and significant pull-off force, overall work of adhesion, and shear force enhancements in submerged aqueous environments are shown when compared to both unpatterned and uncoated samples, as well as previously evaluated patterned and coated arrays with differing geometry. Such materials may have potential value as repeatable adhesives for wet environments, such as for medical devices.

In this work, we take previously developed gecko-foot-hair-inspired elastomer microfiber arrays with film-terminated and mushroom-shaped tips that have demonstrated enhanced adhesion with respect to unpatterned materials under dry conditions and coat them with synthetic DOPA-containing mussel-inspired polymers to enhance adhesion repeatedly in fully submerged wet environments. A new protocol for the development of this hybrid patterned, coated adhesive, which is suitable for use in contact with both wet and dry nonflat surfaces, is described. The experimental evaluation of repeatable adhesion under both wet and dry conditions for these materials is described and compared with unpatterned and/or uncoated materials. Macroscale reversible fibrillar adhesion enhancement on a nonflat, smooth glass surface when compared with unpatterned materials under fully submerged conditions is demonstrated with no suction effect.