Multiplexing Label-Free Polymeric Nanocarriers via Antipolymer Antibodies

Recent examples of immune responses directed against the synthetic polymer poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) have led to the development of biocompatible polymers, which are viewed as promising candidates to act as surrogate materials for use in biological applications, such as hydrophilic poly(2-oxazoline)s (POx). Despite this, the characterization of critical aspects of the immune response against these emerging materials is sparse, in part because no known monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against this family of synthetic material have been reported. To advance the understanding of such responses, we report the successful isolation and characterization of hybridoma-derived mAbs with excellent specificity for different POx species and notable selectivity for highly branched polymer architectures over linear systems. In conjunction with established mAbs targeted against PEG, we show that these antibodies can be employed for sensitive in vivo multiplex-detection of label-free polymer therapeutics based on the specificity of the polymer-antibody binding. This approach enables scalable therapeutic drug monitoring of multiple polymer therapeutics within a single animal, simultaneously.