Preparation and Self-Assembly of pH-Responsive Hyperbranched Polymer Peptide Hybrid Materials

In recent years, the coupling of structurally and functionally controllable polymers with biologically active peptide materials to obtain polymer-peptide hybrids with excellent properties and biocompatibility has led to important research progress in the field of polymers. In this study, a pH-responsive hyperbranched polymer hPDPA was prepared by combining atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) with self-condensation vinyl polymerization (SCVP) using a three-component reaction of Passerini to obtain a monomeric initiator ABMA containing functional groups. The pH-responsive polymer peptide hybrids hPDPA/PArg/HA were obtained by using the molecular recognition of polyarginine ( beta-CD-PArg) peptide modified with fi-cyclodextrin ( beta-CD) on the hyperbranched polymer, followed by the electrostatic adsorption of hyaluronic acid (HA). The two hybrid materials, h(1)PDPA/PArg(12)/HA and h(2)PDPA/PArg(8)/HA could self-assemble to form vesicles with narrow dispersion and nanoscale dimensions in phosphate-buffered (PB) at pH = 7.4. The assemblies exhibited low toxicity as drug carriers of beta-lapachone ( fi-lapa), and the synergistic therapy based on ROS and NO generated by fi-lapa had significant inhibitory effects on cancer cells.

Automated summary

The coupling of structurally and functionally controllable polymers with biologically active peptide materials has led to significant research progress in the field of polymers. In this study, a pH-responsive hyperbranched polymer hPDPA was prepared by combining ATRP with SCVP using a three-component reaction of Passerini. The pH-responsive polymer peptide hybrids hPDPA/PArg/HA were obtained, and they could self-assemble into vesicles with narrow dispersion and nanoscale dimensions. When used as drug carriers, they showed significant inhibitory effects on cancer cells through the synergistic therapy based on ROS and NO.