Amphiphilic macromolecules on cell membranes: from protective layers to controlled permeabilization

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Antimicrobial and cell-penetrating peptides inspire synthetic abiotic polymers.
• These polymers interact with lipid bilayers, coating, penetrating, or disrupting them.
• Recent applications in cell cultures show remarkable bioactivities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent achievements in abiotic membrane-active polymers.
• To highlight the design principles and applications of these synthetic polymers.
• To compare the efficiency of polymers and peptides in membrane interactions.

Main Methods:

• Tailoring synthetic polymer chains for specific functions.
• Investigating polymer properties like charge density, side groups, and hydrophobicity.
• Comparing polymer and peptide structural determinants for membrane activity.

Main Results:

• Polymers demonstrate high biocide efficiencies and selectivity for bacteria.
• Stable and mild encapsulation of viable cells for immune system evasion is achieved.
• Stimuli-responsive polymers (pH, temperature, light) show triggered cell interactions.
• Anionic amphiphilic polymers facilitate mild permeabilization and intracellular delivery.

Conclusions:

• Abiotic polymers offer versatile tools for cell membrane manipulation.
• Structural features like charge density and hydrophobicity are key design determinants.
• These synthetic materials hold promise for diverse biomedical applications, including antimicrobial and drug delivery systems.