Sugar-installed block copolymer micelles: their preparation and specific interaction with lectin molecules

Several types of sugar-installed poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(DL-lactide) (sugar-PEG/PLA) block copolymers were synthesized. The synthesized block copolymer forms a core-shell type polymeric micelle in aqueous media possessing sugar molecules on its surface. Specific recognition of lectin proteins with the sugar molecules on the micelle surface was observed. Both the galactose- and lactose-installed micelles specifically interacted with RCA-1; on the other hand the mannose-installed micelle interacted specifically with Con A. With a lectin-immobilized affinity column, the cluster effect of the sugar molecule on the micelle surface was clearly observed.