Glycomacromolecules to Tailor Crowded and Heteromultivalent Glycocalyx Mimetics

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Cell Biology
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• The glycocalyx, a cell surface carbohydrate layer, is vital for biological functions but difficult to study in its native state.
• Existing glycocalyx mimics lack the molecular precision and key features (crowding, heteromultivalency) of natural analogues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop synthetic glycocalyx mimetics with high molecular precision and control over key native features.
• To investigate the impact of glycocalyx structure on cell adhesion dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of membrane-anchoring precision glycomacromolecules using solid-phase polymer synthesis (SPPoS) and thiol-induced, light-activated controlled radical polymerization (TIRP).
• Construction of glycocalyx mimetics within giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) with controlled molecular weights and densities.
• Analysis of glycomacromolecule incorporation and dynamics using microscopy and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS).

Main Results:

• Successfully created crowded and heteromultivalent glycocalyx mimetics in GUVs with tunable properties.
• Demonstrated varying inhibitory and promotional effects on GUV adhesion mediated by lectin-carbohydrate interactions based on mimetic composition.
• Established a link between synthetic model composition and biological function.

Conclusions:

• Precision glycomacromolecules enable the construction of sophisticated glycocalyx mimetics that closely resemble native structures.
• These advanced mimetics provide a powerful platform for studying glycocalyx functions and cell-cell interactions.
• The study bridges the gap between simplified synthetic models and complex native glycocalyces.