Self-assembly of Janus dendrimers into uniform dendrimersomes and other complex architectures.
Self-assembled nanostructures obtained from natural and synthetic amphiphiles serve as mimics of biological membranes and enable the delivery of drugs, proteins, genes, and imaging agents. Yet the precise molecular arrangements demanded by these functions are difficult to achieve. Libraries of amphiphilic Janus dendrimers, prepared by facile coupling of tailored hydrophilic and hydrophobic branched segments, have been screened by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, revealing a rich palette of morphologies in water, including vesicles, denoted dendrimersomes, cubosomes, disks, tubular vesicles, and helical ribbons. Dendrimersomes marry the stability and mechanical strength obtainable from polymersomes with the biological function of stabilized phospholipid liposomes, plus superior uniformity of size, ease of formation, and chemical functionalization. This modular synthesis strategy provides access to systematic tuning of molecular structure and of self-assembled architecture.
Percec
Virgil
V
Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6323, USA. percec@sas.upenn.edu
Wilson
Daniela A
DA
Leowanawat
Pawaret
P
Wilson
Christopher J
CJ
Hughes
Andrew D
AD
Kaucher
Mark S
MS
Hammer
Daniel A
DA
Levine
Dalia H
DH
Kim
Anthony J
AJ
Bates
Frank S
FS
Davis
Kevin P
KP
Lodge
Timothy P
TP
Klein
Michael L
ML
DeVane
Russell H
RH
Aqad
Emad
E
Rosen
Brad M
BM
Argintaru
Andreea O
AO
Sienkowska
Monika J
MJ
Rissanen
Kari
K
Nummelin
Sami
S
Ropponen
Jarmo
J
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy; D050091:Dendrimers / Q000737:chemistry*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004337:Drug Carriers; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008958:Models, Molecular; D056004:Molecular Dynamics Simulation; D015394:Molecular Structure; D049329:Nanostructures; D013499:Surface Properties; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D050091:Dendrimers; D004337:Drug Carriers; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014867:Water; D004317:Doxorubicin