Cell-Derived Vesicles with Increased Stability and On-Demand Functionality by Equipping Their Membrane with a...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Membrane Biophysics
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Cell-derived vesicles (GPMVs) are valuable for membrane biophysics and drug delivery due to their native composition.
• However, GPMVs suffer from fragility and aggregation, limiting their practical applications.
• Existing methods for vesicle stabilization are often insufficient for complex biomedical uses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the mechanical properties and stability of giant plasma membrane vesicles (GPMVs).
• To introduce stimuli-responsive properties for controlled cargo loading and release.
• To develop a robust platform for advanced biomedical applications of cell-derived vesicles.

Main Methods:

• Decorating GPMVs with a specifically designed diblock copolymer: cholesteryl-poly[2-aminoethyl methacrylate-b-poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate].
• Cross-linking the polymer brush to improve vesicle stability and mechanical strength.
• Evaluating the pH-responsiveness of the copolymer for controlled cargo dynamics.
• Assessing the cytotoxicity and in vitro membrane integrity of the modified GPMVs.

Main Results:

• The cross-linked polymer brush significantly enhanced the mechanical properties and stability of GPMVs.
• The copolymer coating imparted pH-responsiveness, enabling controlled cargo loading and release.
• Modified GPMVs demonstrated no significant cytotoxicity.
• In vitro membrane integrity and functionality were preserved in the enhanced vesicles.

Conclusions:

• A novel strategy was developed to stabilize cell-derived vesicles using stimuli-responsive, cross-linkable copolymers.
• This approach effectively overcomes the limitations of GPMV fragility and aggregation.
• The enhanced GPMVs show significant promise for overcoming barriers in drug delivery and other biomedical applications.