Local
modulation of oxidative stress is crucial for a variety of
biochemical events including cellular differentiation, apoptosis,
and defense against pathogens. Currently employed natural and synthetic
antioxidants exhibit a lack of biocompatibility, bioavailability,
and chemical stability, resulting in limited capability to scavenge
reactive oxygen species (ROS). To mediate these drawbacks, we have
developed a synergistic manganoporphyrin-polyphenol polymeric nanothin
coating and hollow microcapsules with efficient antioxidant activity
and controllable ROS modulation. These materials are produced by multilayer
assembly of a natural polyphenolic antioxidant, tannic acid (TA),
with a synthesized copolymer of polyvinylpyrrolidone containing a
manganoporphyrin modality (MnP-PVPON) which mimics the enzymatic antioxidant
superoxide dismutase. The redox activity of the copolymer is demonstrated
to dramatically increase the antioxidant response of MnP-PVPON/TA
capsules versus unmodified PVPON/TA capsules through reduction of
a radical cationic dye and to significantly suppress the proliferation
of superoxide via cytochrome C competition. Inclusion of MnP-PVPON
as an outer layer enhances radical-scavenging activity as compared
to localization of the layer in the middle or inner part of the capsule
shell. In addition, we demonstrate that TA is crucial for the synergistic
radical-scavenging activity of the MnP-PVPON/TA system which exhibits
a combined superoxide dismutase-like ability and catalase-like activity
in response to the free radical superoxide challenge. The MnP-PVPON/TA
capsules exhibit a negligible, 8% loss of shell thickness upon free
radical treatment, while PVPON/TA capsules lose 39% of their shell
thickness due to the noncatalytic free-radical-scavenging of TA, as
demonstrated by small angle neutron scattering (SANS). Finally, we
have found the manganoporphyrin-polyphenol capsules to be nontoxic
to splenocytes from NOD mice after 48 h incubation. Our study illustrates
the strong potential of combining catalytic activity of manganoporphyrins
with natural polyphenolic antioxidants to design efficient free-radical-scavenging
materials that may eventually be used in antioxidant therapies and
as free radical dissipating protective carriers of biomolecules for
biomedical or industrial applications.