Polymer colloids in biological environments: from Polymer Synthesis to nanobiointerfaces

• Grant number: 18/11038-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: February 01, 2019
• End date: January 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Fernando Carlos Giacomelli
• Grantee: Fernando Carlos Giacomelli
• Host Investigator: Philippe Guegan
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6), France

Abstract

This proposal regards to a comprehensive investigation on polymer colloids at biological environments involving polymer synthesis, self-assembly and behavior in protein milieus. The investigations will start from the synthesis of amphiphilic block copolymers having polyglycidol (PGL) or poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PMeOx) as hydrophilic block linked to poly(butylene oxide) (PBO) as the hydrophobic segment. The polymer synthesis is the main expertise of the French research group whereas it is the main weaknesses of the research group based in the Universidade Federal do ABC. In the step further, polymeric micelles and polymersomes (polymeric vesicles) will be produced from novel synthesized block copolymers made as PMeOxm-b-PBOn and PGLm-b-PBOn with different hydrophilic/hydrophobic weight ratios. The self-assembled structures will be characterized by using a variety of scattering techniques besides transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Subsequently, it will be evaluated the adsorption of model proteins onto the surface of the produced polymeric assemblies with further discussions in relation to the structural features (morphology, size, shape, chemical nature of the stabilizer, surface charge, surface curvature, chain length, chain density, etc.). The adsorption of model proteins (HSA - human serum albumin, IgG - Immunoglobulin G, fibrinogen and lysozyme) onto polymeric micelles and vesicles will be discussed taking into account binding affinity, binding ratio, thermodynamics of binding and conformational changes. The main objective of this proposal is to make steps further on nanobiointerfaces for polymeric assemblies comprising hydrophilic shells that were rarely exploited in the literature (micelles and polymersomes comprising polyglycidol and polyoxazoline shells). The proposal also aims the further transferring of the knowledge on block copolymer synthesis from the French group to the research team based at UFABC. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE OLIVEIRA, FERNANDO A.; ALBUQUERQUE, LINDOMAR J. C.; DELECOURT, GWENDOLINE; BENNEVAULT, VERONIQUE; GUEGAN, PHILIPPE; GIACOMELLI, FERNANDO C.. Current Designs of Polymeric Platforms Towards the Delivery of Nucleic Acids Inside the Cells with Focus on Polyethylenimine. CURRENT GENE THERAPY, v. 21, n. 5, p. 431-451, 2021. (16/23844-8, 18/11038-2, 19/20470-8, 19/12944-0)

DU, HAIQIN; DE OLIVEIRA, FERNANDO A.; ALBUQUERQUE, LINDOMAR J. C.; TRESSET, GUILLAUME; PAVLOVA, EWA; HUIN, CECILE; GUEGAN, PHILIPPE; GIACOMELLI, FERNANDO C.. Polyglycidol-Stabilized Nanoparticles as a Promising Alternative to Nanoparticle PEGylation: Polymer Synthesis and Protein Fouling Considerations. Langmuir, v. 36, n. 5, p. 1266-1278, FEB 11 2020. (18/11038-2, 17/00459-4)