Self-Assembled Nanocages for Hydrophilic Guest Molecules

Abstract

Reverse polymeric micelles are obtained following the association of polymeric amphiphiles in apolar media. To this date, reports of pharmaceutical applications for such micelles have been scarce, mainly because these systems have been studied in solvents that are not suitable for medical use. Here, alkylated star-shaped poly(glycerol methacrylate) polymers have been proposed in the design of oil-soluble reverse polymeric micelles. Micellar behavior was studied in various apolar solvents, including ethyl oleate, a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle. The polymers were shown to assemble into spherical nanostructures (<40 nm) as determined by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy studies. Interestingly, the reverse micelles were able to encapsulate various peptides/proteins (vasopressin, myoglobin, and albumin) in substantial amounts and facilitate their solubilization in oil. The nature of both the polymer used in micelle formation and the guest molecules was found to influence the ability of the micelle to interact with hydrophilic compounds.

Dendritic Polyglycerols for Biomedical Applications

“…A related synthetic approach presented by Leroux and coworkers. [183][184][185] involves the formation of reversed micelles by ATRP. Four-, 5-, 6-, and 8-arm ATRP initiators were prepared and used to polymerize glycidylmethacrylate.…”

“Decoration” of Shell Cross-Linked Reverse Polymer Micelles Using ATRP: A New Route to Stimuli-Responsive Nanoparticles

“…We started with an amphiphilic diblock copolymer of poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) 54 -block-poly(methyl methacrylate 55 -random-coumarin methacrylate 19 ) [PDMAEMA 54 -b-P(MMA 55 -co-CMA 19 )]. As this diblock was synthesized using ATRP with chlorine-terminated PDMAEMA 54 macroinitiator, the halide initiator groups were transferred to the chain ends of the hydrophobic P(MMA 55 -co-CMA 19 ) random copolymer. Obviously, to initiate ATRP from the micelle surface, the halide groups need to be exposed on the surface (or close to the surface) of the micelles.…”

Enhanced permeation, leaf retention, and plant protease inhibitor activity with bicontinuous microemulsions

“…This study establishes that the excellent interfacial properties of the BCME enable them as delivery vehicles for encapsulations of biocolloids stabilized by the water-rich domains. Encapsulation and subsequent release of proteins and peptides via a microemulsion delivery vehicle have rarely been explored for biopesticidal applications although the PIs have been well characterized previously [27,32,[48][49][50][51]. Use of PI encapsulated BCME as biopesticides presents a viable, 'greener,' and acceptable alternative to chemical pesticides and transgenic approaches.…”