RGD-Functionalization of Poly(2-oxazoline)-Based Networks for Enhanced Adhesion to Cancer Cells

Abstract

Poly(2-oxazoline) networks with varying swelling degrees and varying hydrophilicity can be synthesized from 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline, 2-nonyl-2-oxazoline, 2-9'-decenyl-2-oxazoline and 2,2'-tetramethylene-bis-2-oxazoline in one-pot/one-step strategies. These gels can be loaded with organic molecules, such as fluorescein isothiocyanate, either during the polymerization (covalent attachment of the dye) or according to post-synthetic swelling/deswelling strategies (physical inclusion of the dye). Surface functionalization of ground gels by thiol-ene reactions with cysteine-bearing peptides exhibiting the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) motif yields microparticles with enhanced recognition of human cancer cells compared to healthy endothelial cells.

Poly(2‐oxazoline) hydrogels crosslinked with aliphatic bis(2‐oxazoline)s: Properties, cytotoxicity, and cell cultivation

“…4) The SDs in ethanol, distilled water, and dichloromethane are comparable for all hydrogels (except for 2% ButBisOx which swells slightly less in ethanol, see Table 1). This is in accordance with the results published by Schenk et al 21 The gels can be, thus, referred as amphigels and their ability to swell in ethanol can be further used for the immobilization of therapeutic compounds. It is noteworthy that in previously mentioned work 21 the lowest percentage of ButBisOx crosslinker was 4%, referred to as 150:6 EtOx:crosslinker.…”

“…This is in accordance with the results published by Schenk et al 21 The gels can be, thus, referred as amphigels and their ability to swell in ethanol can be further used for the immobilization of therapeutic compounds. It is noteworthy that in previously mentioned work 21 the lowest percentage of ButBisOx crosslinker was 4%, referred to as 150:6 EtOx:crosslinker. The SD of such gel in distilled water was presented to be 7.3 (in comparison to 5.5 in our work).…”

“…20,21 To the best of our knowledge, the control over the properties of 2-oxazoline-based hydrogels by varying the length of aliphatic chain of the crosslinker, as proposed here, has not yet been presented in literature.…”

Covalently cross-linked poly(2-oxazoline) materials for biomedical applications – from hydrogels to self-assembled and templated structures

“…The variation of the co-monomer enabled the tuning of the hydrophilicity of the resulting amphigels as determined by swelling in water and different organic solvents. 38 Labelling was accomplished by end-capping using a fluorescein derivative. 35 The conversions of both monomers were analysed in dependence of the reaction time revealing a much faster reaction rate of the cross-linker in comparison to MeOx.…”

Poly(2-oxazoline)s and click chemistry: A versatile toolbox toward multi-functional polymers

“…In a related study, cross-linked networks of P(EtOx/2-nonyl-2-oxazoline-co-DecenOx) copolymers were obtained making use of a bis-2-oxazoline initiator. 72 Attachment of RGD motifs, using thiol-ene click chemistry, resulted in the formation of microparticles that show preferential binding to cancer cells.…”