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Characterization and Minimization of Block Copolypeptide Vesicle Cytotoxicity Using Different Hydrophobic Chain Lengths
Author(s) -
Choe UhJoo,
Rodriguez April R.,
Li Zhibo,
Boyarskiy Sergey,
Deming Timothy J.,
Kamei Daniel T.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.201200591
Subject(s) - vesicle , dispersity , amphiphile , micelle , chemistry , membrane , polymer chemistry , copolymer , biophysics , organic chemistry , polymer , biochemistry , biology , aqueous solution
The previously reported amphiphilic block copolypeptide, poly(l‐lysine) 60 ‐ block ‐poly(l‐leucine) 20 (K 60 L 20 ), is able to form vesicles that can be manipulated to different sizes and be prepared in large quantities. This study expands upon that work by varying the length of the hydrophobic segment to optimize the vesicles so that they are monodisperse and low in toxicity. Copolypeptides with longer oligoleucine segments are found to have fewer toxic micelles, small aggregates, and unstable vesicles, and exhibit lower toxicity than vesicles formed from copolypeptides with shorter hydrophobic domains. Oligoleucine segments that are too long, however, result in rigid hydrophobic membranes that prevent the vesicular assemblies from being extruded into a monodisperse population of nanoscale vesicles.