title: Cytomimetic large-scale vesicle aggregation and fusion based on host-guest interaction.
abstract: Herein, we have shown a large-scale cell-mimetic (cytomimetic) aggregation process by using cell-sized polymer vesicles as the building blocks and intervesicular host-guest molecular recognition interactions as the driving force. We first prepared the hyperbranched polymer vesicles named branched polymersomes (BPs) around 5-10 μm through the aqueous self-assembly of a hyperbranched multiarm copolymer of HBPO-star-PEO [HBPO = hyperbranched poly(3-ethyl-3-oxetanemethanol); PEO = poly(ethylene oxide)]. Subsequently, adamantane-functionalized BPs (Ada-BPs) or β-cyclodextrin-functionalized BPs (CD-BPs) were prepared through the coassembly of HBPO-star-PEO and Ada-modified HBPO-star-PEO (HBPO-star-PEO-Ada), or of HBPO-star-PEO and CD-modified HBPO-star-PEO (HBPO-star-PEO-CD), respectively. Macroscopic vesicle aggregates were obtained by mixing CD-BPs and Ada-BPs. The intervesicular host-guest recognition interactions between β-CD units in CD-BPs and Ada units in Ada-BPs, which were proved by (1)H nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) spectrum and the fluorescence probe method, are responsible for the vesicle aggregation. Additionally, the vesicle fusion events happened frequently in the process of vesicle aggregation, which were certified by double-labeling fluorescent assay, real-time observation, content mixing assay, and component mixing assay.
authors: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
authors: Haibao
authors: H
authors: Jin
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Yongli
authors: Y
authors: Zheng
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Huang
authors: Yongfeng
authors: Y
authors: Zhou
authors: Deyue
authors: D
authors: Yan
mesh_terms: D000218:Adamantane / Q000737:chemistry; D032701:Biomimetics / Q000379:methods*; D002449:Cell Aggregation; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D047392:beta-Cyclodextrins / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D047392:beta-Cyclodextrins; D000218:Adamantane