Polyglycerol-Based Copper Chelators for the Transport and Release of Copper Ions in Biological Environments

Here, the synthesis and characterization of three improved nanosystems is presented based on amino functionalized hyperbranched polyglycerol (hPG; M(w) = 16.8 kDa) as potential copper(II) chelators. The ligands, N-methyl-N-picolylglycine amide, 2,6-pyridine dicarboxylic acid monoamide, and cyclam tetraacetic acid (TETA) monoamide, are covalently attached to the polymer with amide bonds. In this paper, the Cu(II) loading capacity, the stability of the Cu(II)-loaded carriers at different pHs, with competing ligands and in human serum, as well as the transport of Cu(II) in biological systems are investigated. For the first time, a different cytotoxicity of functionalized polymer nanoparticles with and without Cu(II) is observed. The cyclam-based carrier combines the highest loading capacity (29 Cu ions/nanoparticle), best stability with respect to pH and EDTA (45% remaining Cu after 24 h), lowest cytotoxicity (IC50 > 100 × 10(-6) M (unloaded), 1500 × 10(-6) M Cu(II); Cu:carrier 29:1), and the highest stability in human serum.