Premium
Tuning the Size of Nanoassembles: A Hierarchical Transfer of Information from Dendrimers to Polyion Complexes
Author(s) -
Amaral Sandra P.,
Tawara Maun H.,
FernandezVillamarin Marcos,
Borrajo Erea,
MartínezCostas José,
Vidal Anxo,
Riguera Ricardo,
FernandezMegia Eduardo
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201712244
Subject(s) - dendrimer , biodistribution , micelle , chemistry , polymer , nanotechnology , materials science , polymer chemistry , organic chemistry , biochemistry , aqueous solution , in vitro
The generation of dendrimers is a powerful tool in the control of the size and biodistribution of polyion complexes (PIC). Using a combinatorial screening of six dendrimers (18–243 terminal groups) and five oppositely charged PEGylated copolymers, a dendrimer‐to‐PIC hierarchical transfer of structural information was revealed with PIC diameters that increased from 80 to 500 nm on decreasing the dendrimer generation. This rise in size, which was also accompanied by a micelle‐to‐vesicle transition, is interpreted according to a cone‐ to rod‐shaped progression in the architecture of the unit PIC (uPIC). This precise size tuning enabled dendritic PICs to act as nanorulers for controlled biodistribution. Overall, a domino‐like control of the size and biological properties of PIC that is not attainable with linear polymers is feasible through dendrimer generation.