Catalytic hyperbranched polymers as enzyme mimics; exploiting the principles of encapsulation and supramolecular chemistry

Abstract

Nature uses the principles of encapsulation and supramolecular chemistry to bind and orientate substrates within active catalytic sites. Over the years, synthetic chemistry has generated a number of small molecule active site mimics capable of catalysing reactions involving bound substrates. Another approach uses larger molecules that better represent an enzymes globular structure. These molecules mimic an enzymes structure by incorporating binding/catalytic sites within the globular structure of the polymer. As such, the electronic and steric properties around the binding/catalytic site(s) can be controlled and fine-tuned. One class of polymer that is particularly adept at mimicking the globular structure of enzymes are dendritic polymers. This review will concentrate on the use of hyperbranched polymers as synthetic enzyme mimics.

Long‐Chain Hyperbranched Polymers: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

“…Hyperbranched polymers (HBPs) are highly branched macromolecules, resembling dendrimers, with a 3D dendritic globular conformation . Both of HBPs and dendrimers have demonstrated several common characteristics when compared with linear ones, such as a high number of terminal functional groups, lower solution and melt viscosity, better solubility, and lack of chain entanglement.…”

Applications of supramolecular capsules derived from resorcin[4]arenes, calix[n]arenes and metallo-ligands: from biology to catalysis

“…By the formation of multiple hydrogen bonds, in apolar solvents, the resorcin [4]arene 13 can self-assembly to the hexameric capsule 14 (Scheme 18), which was reported for the rst time by Atwood in 1997. 130,131 With an internal volume of ca.…”

“…In this review we detailed supramolecular capsules based on resorcin [4]arenes, calix[n]arenes and metal-ligands, having concrete applications in biomedical eld, catalysis and material science. The inner space of these self-assembled structures represents a unique environment, with chemical-physical properties different with respect to the bulk solution.…”

Incorporating gold nanoclusters and target-directed liposomes as a synergistic amplified colorimetric sensor for HER2-positive breast cancer cell detection

“…Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which belongs to a family of the tyrosine kinase 8, is a 185 kDa transmembrane protein encoded by oncogene HER2/neu or c-erbB-2, and its overexpression is present in approximately 20%-30% of human breast cancers 9. As compared to other types of breast cancer, HER2-positive breast cancer, mainly due to HER2 gene amplification 10, is associated with increased malignancy, enhanced aggressive behavior, higher recurrence, poor prognosis and reduced overall survival 11-16. Therefore, developing a sensitive and accurate tool for detection of HER2 positive overexpressed breast cancer cells would be beneficial to cancer diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring of tumor sensitivity to anticancer drugs, and further symptomatic treatment 17-19.…”