Paclitaxel-terminated peptide brush polymers.

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery

Background:

• Peptide brush polymers offer tunable properties for biomedical applications.
• Paclitaxel is a potent chemotherapeutic agent with limitations in delivery and specificity.
• Controlled polymer synthesis is crucial for developing effective drug delivery systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel paclitaxel-terminated peptide brush polymers using ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP).
• To investigate the influence of peptide sequence and charge on polymer cell uptake and cytotoxicity.
• To evaluate the efficacy of purified, terminally-modified polymers compared to crude mixtures.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of paclitaxel-terminated peptide brush polymers via ROMP.
• Development of a paclitaxel-containing chain termination agent.
• Purification of polymers using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC).
• Assessment of cell uptake and cytotoxicity of polymers with varying peptide charges (positive, neutral, negative).

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of paclitaxel-terminated peptide brush polymers.
• RP-HPLC enabled efficient separation of purified polymers.
• Purified polymers demonstrated superior potency compared to crude mixtures.
• Positively charged polymers exhibited significantly enhanced cell uptake and cytotoxicity.

Conclusions:

• Paclitaxel-terminated peptide brush polymers provide tunable drug delivery platforms.
• Polymer purification enhances therapeutic potency.
• Charge-dependent modulation of cell uptake and cytotoxicity is achievable, offering a strategy for targeted cancer therapy.