Growing interest in nanotechnology for biomedical research has encouraged the development of improved materials for the generation of multifunctional nanodevices for drug delivery, diagnostic imaging and biosensing.The association of photosensitisers with polyacrylamide nanoparticles allows the generation of light-responsive nanotools for therapeutic, diagnostic and investigative applications. The incorporation of a photosensitiser into a nanoparticle affords species with improved photostability, favourable plasma half-life, and enhanced distribution to tumour tissue (via EPR effect).The presence of multiple functionalities allows endowing the nanoparticles with both therapeutic and imaging components, opening the way for a new generation of theranostic agents. Targeting moieties can also be incorporated to improve biodistribution and pharmacokinetics in vivo.We prepared polyacrylamide nanoparticles bearing two orthogonally reactive functionalities by reverse microemulsion polymerisation. Water-soluble photosensitisers and peptide or carbohydrate moieties were sequentially attached to the nanospecies by orthogonal conjugations based on copper catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition and isothiocyanate chemistry.

Orthogonally bifunctionalised polyacrylamide nanoparticles: Support for the assembly of multifunctional biological probes and theranostic agents

244th National Meeting (2012)

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