Hyperbranched Glycopolymer Grafted Microspheres

[GRAPHICS] . The synthesis and characterization of acetylglucosamine-displaying microspheres consisting of poly(divinylbenzene) (PDVB) cores onto which chains of linear and branched glycopolymer chains were grafted via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and self-condensing vinyl copolymerization (SCVCP), respectively, are reported. PDVB particles with a diameter of 1.5 mu m exhibit a layer of lightly cross-linked PDVB in the periphery of the particle and therefore enable a grafting through approach due to the residual vinyl groups on the surface. The incorporation of the hydrophobic initiator-monomer (inimer) 2-(2-bromoisobutyryloxy)ethyl methacrylate (BIEM) led to compact and branched structures in the shell of the core-shell particles, whereas the ratio of BIEM to 1-methacryloyloxyethyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3,4,6-triacetylglucopyranoside (tetAcGlc) affected the surface coverage. Lectin-binding experiments indicated a strong affinity of wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), a glucosamine-specific lectin, toward the hyperbranched glycopolymer covered spheres, increasing with the degree of branching.