Glycan-Functionalized Microgels for Scavenging and Specific Binding of Lectins

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Carbohydrate Chemistry
• Protein-Carbohydrate Interactions

Background:

• Lectins are proteins recognizing specific carbohydrate structures (glycans) on cell surfaces.
• Microbial toxins often utilize lectin-like domains for cell membrane interactions.
• Developing targeted materials for lectin binding is crucial for biomedical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create biocompatible microgels decorated with specific glycan motifs.
• To investigate the binding capacity and affinity of these microgels towards model lectins.
• To establish glycan-functionalized microgels as a tool for lectin scavenging.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of monodisperse, biocompatible polyethylene glycol (PEG) microgels.
• Functionalization of microgels with specific carbohydrate ligands (GlcNAc, LacNAc).
• Utilizing drop-based microfluidics and radical polymerization for microgel preparation.
• Characterization of microgel properties, including mesh size and accessible volume.
• Binding studies using model lectins (GSII, ECL) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) or similar techniques.

Main Results:

• Successfully prepared monodisperse and biocompatible PEG microgels carrying glycan motifs.
• Demonstrated specific binding of lectins to their corresponding glycan-functionalized microgels.
• Achieved high binding capacity and affinity (K_d ≈ 0.5–1 μM) for ECL lectin to LacNAc microgels.
• Observed multivalent binding interactions between lectins and the flexible microgel network.

Conclusions:

• Glycan-functionalized microgels are effectively prepared using microfluidics and polymerization.
• These microgels exhibit specific and high-affinity binding to target lectins.
• The developed microgels represent a valuable platform for lectin scavenging in diverse biomedical contexts.