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Herein, we describe the first report on a new class of disk-shaped and quite monodisperse water-soluble nanomaterials that we named glyconanosomes (GNS). GNSs were obtained by sliding out the cylindrical structures formed upon self-organization and photopolymerization of glycolipid 1 on single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) sidewalls. GNSs present a sheltered hydrophobic inner cavity formed by the carbonated tails, surrounded by PEG and lactose moieties. The amphiphilic character of GNSs allows the water solubility of insoluble hydrophobic cargos such as a perylene-bisimide derivative, [60]fullerene, or the anti-carcinogenic drug camptothecin (CPT). GNS/C60 inclusion complexes are able to establish specific interactions between peanut agglutinin (PNA) lectin and the lactose moiety surrounding the complexes, while CPT solubilized by GNS shows higher cytotoxicity toward MCF7-type breast cancer cells than CPT alone. Thus, GNS represents an attractive extension of nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems.

Supramolecular self-assembly of conjugated diacetylenic amphiphile-tethered ligands photopolymerize to afford polydiacetylene (PDA) functional liposomes. Upon specific interaction with a variety of biological analytes in aqueous solution, PDA exhibits rapid colorimetric transitions. The PDA nanoassemblies, which are excellent membrane mimics, include an ene-yne polymeric reporter responsible for the chromatic transitions and the molecular recognition elements that are responsible for selective and specific binding to the biological target. A bottleneck in the fabrication of these colorimetric biosensors is the preparation of the diacetylenic monomer embedded with the recognition element of choice. In the present work, we make use of copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) as key step in the preparation of sugar-coated liposome biosensors. The regioselective click ligation of the triacetylenic N-(2-propynyl)pentacosa-10,12-diynamide (NPPCDAM) with a variety of mannose- and lactose-tethered azides afforded chemo- and regioselectively the corresponding 1,2,3-triazole. The obtained diacetylenic monomers were incorporated efficiently into vesicles to afford functional mannose- and lactose-coated glycoliposomes. The obtained PDA-based click glycoliposomes have been characterized by using transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and UV/Vis spectroscopy. The efficiency of the reported approach was demonstrated by the rapid optimization of the hydrophilic spacer between the lipidic matrix and the mannose head group for the colorimetric detection of Concavalin A., (Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Remarkably stable, water-soluble glyconanoring-coated SWCNTs were prepared by self organization and photopolymerization of neutral diacetylene-based glycolipids on the nanotube surface; the nanoconstructs are able to engage in specific ligand-lectin interactions in a similar way to glycoconjugates on cell membranes.