title: GATG dendrimers and PEGylated block copolymers: from synthesis to bioapplications.
abstract: Dendrimers are synthetic macromolecules composed of repetitive layers of branching units that emerge from a central core. They are characterized by a tunable size and precise number of peripheral groups which determine their physicochemical properties and function. Their high multivalency, functional surface, and globular architecture with diameters in the nanometer scale makes them ideal candidates for a wide range of applications. Gallic acid-triethylene glycol (GATG) dendrimers have attracted our attention as a promising platform in the biomedical field because of their high tunability and versatility. The presence of terminal azides in GATG dendrimers and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-dendritic block copolymers allows their efficient functionalization with a variety of ligands of biomedical relevance including anionic and cationic groups, carbohydrates, peptides, or imaging agents. The resulting functionalized dendrimers have found application in drug and gene delivery, as antiviral agents and for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, in diagnosis and as tools to study multivalent carbohydrate recognition and dendrimer dynamics. Herein, we present an account on the preparation and recent applications of GATG dendrimers in these fields.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry and Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials (CIQUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Jenaro de la Fuente s/n, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sousa-Herves
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Novoa-Carballal
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riguera
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Megia
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; D000818:Animals; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D050091:Dendrimers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D053758:Nanoparticles; D036103:Nanotechnology; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D050091:Dendrimers; D004337:Drug Carriers; D008024:Ligands; C028914:triethylene glycol; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D005707:Gallic Acid