Polystyrene-Poly(acrylic acid) Block Copolymers for Encapsulation of Butyrylcholinesterase into Injectable...

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Toxic esters pose risks to both human health and environmental ecosystems.
• Enzymatic bioscavengers offer a promising approach for neutralizing harmful compounds.
• Developing effective delivery systems for bioscavengers is crucial for their application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize polystyrene-block-poly(acrylic acid) (PS-b-PAA) copolymers for enzymatic nanoreactor fabrication.
• To create and evaluate PS-b-PAA based nanocontainers loaded with bioscavengers (human butyrylcholinesterase).
• To identify key factors for designing effective enzymatic nanoreactors for toxic ester neutralization.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of PS-b-PAA block copolymers using gel permeation chromatography, NMR, and UV spectroscopy.
• Fabrication of polymeric nanocontainers via film hydration method.
• Characterization of nanocontainers using dynamic light scattering and microscopy.
• Enzyme activity assays using the Ellman method.

Main Results:

• PS-b-PAA copolymers with varying amphiphilicity, hydrophilicity, and molecular weights were successfully synthesized and characterized.
• Polymeric nanocontainers were formed, and their properties were analyzed in the presence and absence of human butyrylcholinesterase.
• Enzyme activity within the nanoreactors was quantified, providing insights into their efficacy.
• Critical factors for the successful design of PS-b-PAA based enzymatic nanoreactors were elucidated.

Conclusions:

• PS-b-PAA copolymers are suitable materials for constructing effective enzymatic nanoreactors.
• These nanoreactors demonstrate potential for neutralizing toxic esters in biological and environmental settings.
• The findings pave the way for future in vivo studies utilizing PS-b-PAA nanoreactors as bioscavengers.