title: Gold nanoparticles coated with polysarcosine brushes to enhance their colloidal stability and circulation time in vivo.
abstract: Polysarcosine (PS), a non-ionic hydrophilic polypeptoid whose structure is similar to polypeptides, bearing repeating units of natural α-amino acid, has been used to stabilize gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) due to its excellent hydrophilicity and biocompatibility. Disulfide functionalized polysarcosines with different molecular weight were synthesized and used to cap AuNPs by traditional ligand exchange. The grafting of PS on AuNPs was evidenced by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and the alternation of surface zeta potential. The polysarcosine coated AuNPs (Au@PS) showed good stabilities in wide pH range and saline condition. They had strong resistance to ligand competition of dithiothreitol (DTT). They showed good stability in serum, with a molecular weight dependent interaction pattern with proteins. The Au@PS had very low cytotoxicity and cell uptake in vitro. Based on the results in vitro, polysarcosine with molecular weight of 5kD with the best ability to stabilize AuNPs was used for in vivo test. The Au@PS had a longer circulation time in blood after intravenous injection than that of Au@PEG, indicating a better stealth-like property of polysarcosine. The Au@PS did not cause obvious toxicity in vivo, suggesting potential applications in disease diagnosis and therapy.
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, 38# Zheda Road, Hangzhou 310027, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, 38# Zheda Road, Hangzhou 310027, China.
authors.forename: Zhengqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Center of Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866# Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Difeng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, 38# Zheda Road, Hangzhou 310027, China.
authors.forename: Xinfeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, 38# Zheda Road, Hangzhou 310027, China.
authors.forename: Yuqian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Center of Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866# Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, 38# Zheda Road, Hangzhou 310027, China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers (Fudan University), Yuejin Building, No. 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433, China. Electronic address: zwmao@zju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhengwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, 38# Zheda Road, Hangzhou 310027, China. Electronic address: lingjun@zju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003102:Colloids; D004220:Disulfides / Q000737:chemistry; D004229:Dithiothreitol / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007668:Kidney / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D008168:Lung / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012521:Sarcosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D013154:Spleen / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D004220:Disulfides; D010455:Peptides; C015475:polysarcosine; D006046:Gold; D004229:Dithiothreitol; D012521:Sarcosine
keywords: Hydrophilic polypeptide; Long circulation; Nanomaterials; Polysarcosine