Conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) are soft nanoparticles fabricated by self-assembly of non-aqueous soluble aromatic p-electron conjugated polymers (CPs) in aqueous solutions. CPNs exhibit excellent luminescent and biophysical properties, suitable for biological applications including labeling, delivery, and monitoring of biological substances. We have previously reported that physically and photophysically stable CPNs were formed by treating primary amine-containing CPs with organic acids followed by dialysis, and the resulting cationic CPNs can further undergo structural reorganization to maximize interpolymer hydrophobic interaction when treated with an carboxylated anionic polysaccharide, hyaluronic acid. From the observation, we hypothesized that polysaccharides with different ionic strengths (i.e., sulfated heparin etc.) can modulate the aggregation properties of CPNs through the ionic interaction between CPs and polysaccharides, resulting in photophysical property changes of CPNs by the reorganization of CP chains. In this presentation, design/fabrication of CPNs with different backbone structures and a multiarray sensor to differentiate structurally similar anionic polysaccharides, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), in a urine simulant will be discussed.

Engineered conjugated polymer nanoparticles for glycosaminoglycan profiling in a urine simulant

248th National Meeting (2014)

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