Temperature-triggered formation of nanostructures with distinct biological activity offers opportunities in selective modification of matrices and in drug delivery. Toward these ends, diblock polymers comprising poly(diethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate) (PDEGMEMA) were conjugated to the C-terminus of a triple helix-forming collagen-like peptide (CLP) with the sequence (GPO)<sub>7</sub>GG. The ability of the CLP domain to maintain its triple helix conformation after conjugation with the polymer was confirmed via circular dichroism (CD). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements suggested the diblock conjugate underwent a reversible temperature-induced transition from solution to nanoparticles with a diameter around 100 nm. While the LCST of the PDEGMEMA was 18 °C, the diblock exhibited a transition temperature of 32 °C when dissolved in PBS buffer, and 37 °C when dissolved in deionized water. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) suggested the formation of well-defined vesicles above the transition temperature, while no supramolecular assemblies were observed at room temperature. A PEG-CLP diblock, as a negative control, did not show assembly behavior at any temperature investigated, indicating the self-assembly of PDEGMEMA-CLP diblock was triggered by the collapse of the thermoresponsive domain above its LCST. The incorporation of CLP domains in these nanostructures offers opportunities for the selective targeting of collagen-containing matrices in vitro and in vivo.

Temperature-triggered self-assembly of nanovesicles from collagen-like peptide-containing diblock bioconjugates

249th National Meeting (2015)

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