Branched, dendritic, and hyperbranched polymers in liquid biopsy device design

Abstract

The development of minimally invasive tests for cancer diagnosis and prognosis will aid in the research of new treatments and improve survival rates. Liquid biopsies seek to derive actionable information from tumor material found in routine blood samples. The relative scarcity of tumor material in this complex mixture makes isolating and detecting cancerous material such as proteins, circulating tumor DNA, exosomes, and whole circulating tumor cells a challenge for device engineers. This review describes the chemistry and applications of branched and hyperbranched to improve the performance of liquid biopsy devices. These polymers can improve the performance of a liquid biopsy through several mechanisms. For example, polymers designed to increase the affinity of capture enhance device sensitivity. On the other hand, polymers designed to increase binding avidity or repel nonspecific adsorption enhance device specificity. Branched and hyperbranched polymers can also be used to amplify the signal from small amounts of detected material. The further development of hyperbranched polymers in liquid biopsy applications will enhance device capabilities and help these critical technologies reach the oncology clinic where they are sorely needed.

Dendritic–Linear Copolymer and Dendron Lipid Nanoparticles for Drug and Gene Delivery

“…In particular, PEGylation of outward-branching dendrons results in an exceptionally high density of these coronarepelling linear polymers. 81 PEGylated dendron micelles also outperform linear block copolymers of similar molecular weight in terms of a longer half-life and slower release profiles in vivo. For example, PCL−PAMAM dendron−PEG copolymer micelles have 2-fold longer half-lives in serum compared to a linear micelle counterpart.…”

“…Nonfouling polymers such as PEG can similarly mitigate corona formation on these nanomedicines. In particular, PEGylation of outward-branching dendrons results in an exceptionally high density of these corona-repelling linear polymers . PEGylated dendron micelles also outperform linear block copolymers of similar molecular weight in terms of a longer half-life and slower release profiles in vivo.…”

Design of Polymeric Surfaces as Platforms for Streamlined Cancer Diagnostics in Liquid Biopsies

“…Polymers used in microfluidic device integration may not be suitable for industrial scale. Moreover, air bubbles and other obstacles during the operation and fabrication process have a significant impact on the performance of microfluidic systems [ 5 ].…”

“…This can lead to inaccuracies in the detection and analysis of specific biomarkers, including DNA, RNA, and proteins. To address this challenge, different technologies and advanced materials can be utilized, depending on the type of materials shed into the bloodstream by tumors [ 5 ]. Tumors regularly release materials in the blood, such as circulating tumor DNA or cells (ctDNA, CTCs) and exosomes ( Figure 1 ).…”

Branched Polymers: Synthesis and Application

“…Branched polymers have a wide range of potential applications in the field of coatings, rheology additives, drug delivery, and so on. − Their properties are closely related to the structures of branched polymers. For example, branched polymers with short branched chains or high branching degree have good solubility and low viscosity, which are suitable for solid polymer electrolytes for lithium (Li) batteries and lubricants. ,,− On the contrary, branched polymers with long branched chains or low branching degree not only have good mechanical strength but also are soluble or meltable, which are convenient for thermoplastic processing …”