The design of efficient drug delivery systems is an important challenge in pharmaceutical research, as it allows for a better control of pharmacokinetic parameters (bioavailability, potency of the drug…) and reduction in side effects. Particle shape has been described as a key factor in improving cell internalization and bio-distribution among the different properties investigated for drug delivery systems.1 In particular, tubular structures, such as cyclic peptide (CP) polymer nanotubes, have been identified as a promising candidate for improving drug delivery.2,3 The aim of this work is to investigate the influence of different design elements of CP-polymer conjugates on cellular uptake including; nature and length of the polymer, the cyclic peptide building block, and the cell line studied. The addition of polymer chains to the CP has previously been shown to improve the control over the length of the tubes, leading to high aspect ratio structures.4 A variety of fluorescently labelled CP-polymer conjugates have been synthesized to track their behaviour in vitro over time and in different conditions. In parallel, self-assembly of the different CP conjugates in water has been assessed, showing an interesting correlation between the formation of nanotubes and the results obtained from cell studies. This work will provide a design rationale for the creation of further drug delivery systems based on CP-polymer conjugates for in vivo investigations.

Understanding the interaction of cyclic peptide polymer nanotubes with mammalian cells

256th National Meeting (2018)

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