Preview
Sign-in for full Details 
Sign-in free and Explore the Exciting World of BiomedExperts:
- Over 1.500.000 Profiles
- More than 1.800 Organizations worldwide
- State of the Art Network Visualizations
- Manage your own Profile
- Locate Experts in your Country/Region
- Locate Experts in your 1. and 2. Level Network
- Connect to Experts Worldwide
find experts for
Sign-in to see more
2007:
Iatrou Hermis; Frielinghaus Henrich; Hanski Sirkku; Ferderigos Nikos; Ruokolainen Janne; Ikkala Olli; Richter Dieter; Mays Jimmy; Hadjichristidis Nikos
Architecturally induced multiresponsive vesicles from well-defined polypeptides: formation of gene vehicles.
Biomacromolecules 2007;
8(
7):.
A series of novel, partially labeled amphiphilic triblock copolypeptides, PLL-b-PBLG-d7-b-PLL, has been synthesized, where PLL and PBLG-d7 are poly(L-lysine hydrochloride) and poly(gamma-benzyl-d7-L-glutamate), respectively. The synthetic approach involved the sequential ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate and epsilon-Boc-L-lysine N-carboxy anhydrides by a diamino initiator using high-vacuum techniques, followed by the selective deprotection of the Boc groups. Combined characterization results showed that the copolypeptides exhibit high degrees of molecular and compositional homogeneity. The synthesized copolypeptides had similar molecular weights, while the composition of the middle block ranged between 19 and 74% with respect to the monomeric units. Due to the macromolecular architecture of the copolypeptide and the rigid nature of the middle block, the formation of monolayers was favored, and, surprisingly, vesicles were formed in water at neutral pH over the entire compositional range. The vesicular structures were extensively characterized by static and dynamic light scattering, small-angle neutron scattering, atomic force microscopy, cryo-transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, UV and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and circular dichroism. In contrast to other vesicular structures derived from conventional polymers, the formed polypeptidic vesicles possess the unique feature of being stimuli-responsive to pH and temperature. When the copolypeptides were mixed with plasmid DNA (pDNA), large vesicular structures were also formed. The molecular characterization of the vectors was performed with most of the methods mentioned above, and indicated that the pDNA is both partially condensed on the PLL phase and partially encapsulated inside the vesicle. Consequently, the synthesized vectors combine the advantages of the polylysine-DNA systems to condense large amounts of genes, as well as those of the liposome-DNA systems to better protect the encapsulated DNA. These vectors are expected to present better gene transfection efficiency to the cell nucleus.
Post to CiteULike 
Sign in free and see...
Visualized networks:
See your personal network in
sophisticated graphical views
GeoTargeted Searches:
Locate experts around the world
and connect with global collaborators
Research Profiles:
See the visualized research activity
of experts around the globe
Sign-in to see more
