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Sulfated Polyglycerol-Modified Hydrogels for Binding HSV-1 and RSV
Jun Feng1, Chuanxiong Nie1, Enyu Xie2
1Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|October 30, 2023
Summary
Synthetic hydrogels mimicking heparan sulfate (HS) effectively bind viruses like HSV-1 and RSV. Further modification with alkyl chains imparts virucidal properties, destroying viral envelopes.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Virology
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Heparan sulfate (HS) is crucial for mammalian cell surface interactions and viral infections.
- Synthetic biomaterials are needed to mimic HS functions for antiviral applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and synthesize polyglycerol-based hydrogels mimicking heparan sulfate for viral binding and inactivation.
- To investigate the impact of hydrogel composition and molecular weight of sulfated polymers on viral binding efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of polyglycerol-based hydrogel substrates.
- Postfunctionalization with sulfated linear polyglycerol (lPGS) using thiol-ene click chemistry.
- Assessment of viral binding using herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
- Introduction of alkyl chains to induce virucidal activity and characterization using atomic force microscopy (AFM).
Main Results:
- All lPGS-functionalized hydrogels demonstrated significant viral binding capabilities for both HSV-1 and RSV.
- The molecular weight of conjugated lPGS influenced viral binding properties.
- Hydrogels functionalized with both lPGS and alkyl chains exhibited virucidal effects, disrupting viral envelopes.
Conclusions:
- Polyglycerol-based hydrogels functionalized with HS-mimicking sulfated polymers show promise for viral capture.
- Incorporation of alkyl chains confers virucidal activity, offering a dual-action antiviral material.
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