Polymers and nanomaterials with unique physical, chemical and biochemical properties are constantly being developed for a wide range of applications. Glycopolymers and degradable nanogels are becoming increasingly popular in the biomedical field due to the remarkable control on the design and ease of fabrication of such delivery systems. Modern polymerization techniques such as reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) has allowed the synthesis of well-defined cationic glycopolymers of pre-determined molecular weights, architectures (linear and hyperbranched) and stimuli-responsive nanogels for the easy encapsulation of biomolecules. Due to their low toxicities, high cellular uptake and tailor made properties of such glyco-materials, they have been used for DNA delivery in a range of cell lines. Glucose-derived cationic glycopolymers of both linear and hyperbranched architectures show enhanced gene expression in all studied cell lines. Linear cationic glycopolymers of statistical configurations show higher gene expression and cell viabilities, as compared to their block analogues. Galactose-based cationic glycopolymers show higher targeting efficacies and gene expression in Hep G2 cells, possible due to their enhanced interactions with over-expressed asialoglycoprotein receptors (ASGPR) on the surface of Hep G2 cells. In addition, copolymers with 'block-statistical' configuration are designed to enhance the gene expression and to decrease the interaction of cationic systems with serum proteins. The 'block-statistical' copolymers revealed to be excellent systems with high gene expression and cell viabilities in vitro, while showing low aggregation in the presence of serum proteins. Degradable nanogels synthesized via the RAFT process with cationic core and carbohydrate shells were also shown to be excellent systems for the co-delivery of both DNA and proteins.

Engineered glycopolymers and degradable glyco-nanogels for gene therapy

246th National Meeting (2013)

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