Mannose‐Decorated Multicomponent Supramolecular Polymers Trigger Effective Uptake into Antigen‐Presenting Cells

Abstract

A modular route to prepare functional self-assembling dendritic peptide amphiphiles decorated with mannosides, to effectively target antigen-presenting cells, such as macrophages, is reported. The monomeric building blocks were equipped with tetra(ethylene glycol)s (TEGs) or labeled with a Cy3 fluorescent probe. Experiments on the uptake of the multifunctional supramolecular particles into murine macrophages (Mφs) were monitored by confocal microscopy and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Mannose-decorated supramolecular polymers trigger a significantly higher cellular uptake and distribution, relative to TEG carrying bare polymers. No cytotoxicity or negative impact on cytokine production of the treated Mφs was observed, which emphasized their biocompatibility. The modular nature of the multicomponent supramolecular polymer coassembly protocol is a promising platform to develop fully synthetic multifunctional vaccines, for example, in cancer immunotherapy.

C3‐Symmetrical π‐Scaffolds: Useful Building Blocks to Construct Helical Supramolecular Polymers

“…These self‐assembling units can be functionalized with three dendritic tris‐mannose groups or with two dendritic and one branched tris‐tetraethyleneglycol unit decorated with a fluorescent Cy3 dye. The co‐assembly of these two triazines into columnar aggregates triggers the efficient cellular uptake into bone marrow derived murine macrophages …”

Exploring the Potential of Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide Supramolecular Polymers as Biomaterials

“…The increased understanding gathered from fundamental studies on their assembly in water renders this class of materials highly promising for bioapplications. 20 − 23 BTAs are known to form μm-long 1D fibers via intermolecular 3-fold hydrogen bonding between the amides and hydrophobic effects 24 , 25 and they have been proven to be highly dynamic. 26 − 29 Additionally, in analogy to covalent polymers, copolymerization has been successfully achieved, 30 , 31 thus, allowing the modular insertion of multiple functionalities.…”

Supramolecular polymerization of sulfated dendritic peptide amphiphiles into multivalent L-selectin binders

“…Our group recently reported the successful application of functional supramolecular polymers in a biological context [30]. By decoration of the discotic peptide amphiphile monomers with dendritic mannose moieties, a specific cell targeting of macrophages and internalization in those antigen presenting cells has been achieved.…”