Physico-Chemical and Biological Properties of Monofunctional Hydroxy Teriminating Poly(N-Vinylpyrrolidone) Conjugated Superoxide Dismutase

Monofunctional hydroxy-terminated poly( N-vinylpyrrolidone) was obtained by radical polymerization in the presence of isopropoxyethanol for protein surface modification. Superoxide dismutase was modified to various degrees by reaction with PVP-OH activated by 4-nitrophenyl chloroformate with high retention of enzymatic activity. All the polymer-enzyme conjugates showed increased body residence time after intravenous injection in rats with respect to the native enzyme. The residence time depended upon the number of bound polymer chains. PVP was found to affect the pharmacokinetic properties of the enzyme after subcutaneous, intramuscular and intraperitoneal administration. The antigenicity of superoxide dismutase was reduced to one third following modification, while its immunogenicity after intravenous, subcutaneous and intraperitoneal injection totally disappeared. The conjugates exhibited increased solubility in organic solvents and increased stability towards thermal denaturation, whereas changes in the structural properties were observed by circular dichroism measurements.

Multifunctional, stimuli-sensitive nanoparticulate systems for drug delivery

The use of nanoparticulate pharmaceutical drug delivery systems (NDDSs) to enhance the in vivo effectiveness of drugs is now well established. The development of multifunctional and stimulus-sensitive NDDSs is an active area of current research. Such NDDSs can have long circulation times, target the site of the disease and enhance the intracellular delivery of a drug. This type of NDDS can also respond to local stimuli that are characteristic of the pathological site by, for example, releasing an entrapped drug or shedding a protective coating, thus facilitating the interaction between drug-loaded nanocarriers and target cells or tissues. In addition, imaging contrast moieties can be attached to these carriers to track their real-time biodistribution and accumulation in target cells or tissues. Here, I highlight recent developments with multifunctional and stimuli-sensitive NDDSs and their therapeutic potential for diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and infectious diseases.

Polymer coatings for delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics

Gene delivery remains the greatest challenge in applying nucleic acid therapeutic for a broad range of diseases. Combining stability during the delivery phase with activation and transgene expression following arrival at the target site requires sophisticated vectors that can discriminate between cell types and respond to target-associated conditions to trigger expression. Efficient intravenous delivery is the greatest single hurdle, with synthetic vectors frequently found to be unstable in the harsh conditions of the bloodstream, and viral vectors often recognized avidly by both the innate and the adaptive immune system. Both types of vectors benefit from coating with hydrophilic polymers. Self-assembling polyelectrolyte non-viral vectors can achieve both steric and lateral stabilization following surface coating, endowing them with much improved systemic circulation properties and better access to disseminated targets; similarly viral vectors can be 'stealthed' and their physical properties modulated by surface coating. Both types of vectors may also have their tropism changed following chemical linkage of novel ligands to the polymer coating. These families of vectors go some way towards realizing the goal of efficient systemic delivery of genes and should find a range of important uses in bringing this still-emerging field to fruition.

Multifunctional and stimuli-sensitive pharmaceutical nanocarriers

Currently used pharmaceutical nanocarriers, such as liposomes, micelles, and polymeric nanoparticles, demonstrate a broad variety of useful properties, such as longevity in the body; specific targeting to certain disease sites; enhanced intracellular penetration; contrast properties allowing for direct carrier visualization in vivo; stimuli-sensitivity, and others. Some of those pharmaceutical carriers have already made their way into clinic, while others are still under preclinical development. In certain cases, the pharmaceutical nanocarriers combine several of the listed properties. Long-circulating immunoliposomes capable of prolonged residence in the blood and specific target recognition represent one of the examples of this kind. The engineering of multifunctional pharmaceutical nanocarriers combining several useful properties in one particle can significantly enhance the efficacy of many therapeutic and diagnostic protocols. This paper considers the current status and possible future directions in the emerging area of multifunctional nanocarriers with primary attention on the combination of such properties as longevity, targetability, intracellular penetration, contrast loading, and stimuli-sensitivity.

Effect of Grafted Amphiphilic PVP-Palmityl Polymers on the Thermotropic Phase Behavior of 1,2 Dipalmitoyl- sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine Bilayer

To better understand how grafted polymers interact with liposome membrane, a comparative study was conducted to investigate the influence of different chain length polyvinyl pyrrolidone-palmityl (PVP-p) conjugates on the thermotropic phase behavior of 1,2 dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayer. Lipid-polymer dispersions were prepared by mixing DPPC and variable concentrations of PVP-p conjugates in chloroform. Hydration of lipids was performed at 50-55 degrees C after complete elimination of the organic solvent. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to determine lipid miscibility and bilayer-polymer interactions. Particle size was determined by photon correlation spectroscopy. Increasing concentrations of 6 kDa PVP-p caused a shift of the main phase transition of DPPC at lower temperatures. At 9.1 mol% the DPPC phase pretransition (T(p)) is abolished. At 16.7 mol%, differential scanning calorimetry showed an endothermic phase transition at 24.9 degrees C. The enthalpy of this transition was twice as high compared to the main phase transition enthalpy of pure DPPC. Inclusion of more than 20 mol% of 6 kDa PVP-p resulted in a complete bilayer micellization. Qualitatively similar to the 6 kDa were the results obtained with the 12 kDa PVP-p conjugate. Increasing concentrations of 25 kDa PVP-p from 1 to 13 mol% resulted in a decrease of the main DPPC phase transition temperature. At 13 mol% the new molecular self-assembled structure as previously identified with the lower MW PVP-p conjugates also showed up at the DSC thermogram. However, in sharp contrast to the lower MW PVP-p conjugates, increasing the 25 kDa PVP-p content did not result in bilayer disruption; rather, it resulted in a bilayer stabilization. The consequences of the hydrophobically modified PVP interaction with the bilayer are considered negative with respect to the long-circulating properties of liposomes in the blood. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Biopharmaceutical properties of uricase conjugated to neutral and amphiphilic polymers

A comparative pharmacokinetic and biodistribution investigation of polymer-protein conjugates prepared with various amphiphilic polymers was carried out using uricase as a model. Four polymer-uricase derivatives have been obtained by covalent binding of a similar number of polymer chains of (a) linear poly(ethylene glycol) (Mw 5000 Da); (b) branched poly(ethylene glycol) (Mw 10 000 Da); (c) poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (Mw 6000 Da); (d) poly(N-acryloilmorpholine) (Mw 6000 Da). By intravenous administration to Balb/c mice, the conjugates displayed different pharmacokinetic and organ distribution behaviors. (1) The unmodified enzyme and the poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) conjugate were the enzyme forms with the shortest and the longest permanence in blood respectively (mean residence time 45 and 4378 min). (2) Native uricase was found to localize soon after administration significantly in heart, lungs, and liver from where it was also rapidly cleared. (3) The poly(N-acryloilmorpholine) derivative showed the highest concentration levels in liver (up to 25.5% of the dose) and considerable accumulation took also place in the other considered organs. (4) Poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)-uricase displayed a relevant tropism for liver but low uptake indexes were found for the other organs. (5) The branched poly(ethylene glycol) derivative accumulated preferentially in liver and spleen. (6) The linear poly(ethylene glycol) conjugate was, among the various uricase forms, the species with the lowest distribution levels in all the examined organs. (7) Finally, all the enzyme forms slowly disposed in kidneys with higher levels for the poly(N-acryloilmorpholine) derivative (15% after 2880 min) and unmodified uricase (14% after 1440 min).

Functionalized semitelechelic poly[N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide] for protein modification

Semitelechelic poly[N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide]s (ST-PHPMA) with different functional end groups, namely carboxyl, methyl ester, hydrazide, and amino groups, were prepared by chain transfer free-radical polymerization. 2,2'-Azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) was used as an initiator and 3-mercaptopropionic acid, methyl 3-mercaptopropionate, 3-mercaptopropionic hydrazide, and 2-mercaptoethylamine were used as chain-transfer agents. The semitelechelic polymers have been characterized by end-group analysis, size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The effects of the concentrations of the mercaptans and the initiator on the molecular weight of the polymers have been investigated. The higher the concentration of mercaptan, the lower the molecular weight of ST-PHPMA. The concentration of initiator did not have a significant effect on the molecular weight of the semitelechelic polymers. The end groups of the ST polymers can be readily transformed by polymeranalogous reactions. A model protein, alpha-chymotrypsin, has been modified with ST-PHPMA-CONHNH2 and ST-PHPMA-COOSu and the conjugates characterized by MALDI-TOF MS. The activity of modified chymotrypsins toward a high molecular weight substrate, P-Gly-Leu-Phe-NAp (where P is the HPMA copolymer backbone, and NAp is p-nitroanilide), was slightly lower than the activity of the native enzyme. The cleavage of a low molecular weight substrate, Z-Gly-Leu-Phe-NAp, by modified chymotrypsins was dependent on their structure. Whereas the activity of the amino group modified chymotrypsins was higher than that of the native enzyme, the activity of carboxyl-modified chymotrypsins was lower than that of the native enzyme. In summary, the data seem to indicate that ST-PHPMA is an effective protein-modifying agent.

Polymer-coated long-circulating microparticulate pharmaceuticals

The field of long-circulating microparticulate drug carriers is reviewed. The protective effect of certain polymers including poly(ethylene glycol) on nanoparticulate carriers (liposomes, nanoparticles, micelles) is considered in terms of statistical behaviour of macromolecules in solution. Using liposomes as an example, the mechanism is discussed assuming that surface-grafted chains of flexible and hydrophilic polymers form dense 'conformational clouds' preventing other macromolecules from interaction with the surface even at low concentrations of the protecting polymer. The scale of the protective effect is interpreted as the balance between the energy of the hydrophobic anchor interaction with the liposome membrane core or with the particle surface and the energy of the polymer chain free motion in solution. The possibility of using protecting polymers other than poly(ethylene glycol) is analysed, and examples of such polymers are given, based on polymer-coated liposome biodistribution data. General requirements for protecting polymers are formulated. Sterically protected nanoparticles and micelles are considered, and differences in steric protection of liposomes and particles are discussed. The problem of the preparation of drug carriers combining longevity and targetability is analysed. The biological consequences of steric protection of drug carriers with surface-grafted polymers are discussed, and possible clinical applications for long-circulating pharmaceutical carriers are considered.

Synthesis and pharmacokinetic behaviour of ester derivatives of 4-isobutylphenyl-2-propionic acid (Ibuprofen) with end-hydroxylated poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidinone) and poly(N-acryloyl morpholine) oligomers

Four derivatives of 4-isobutylphenyl-2-propionic acid (Ibuprofen), in which the drug was bound by ester linkages to poly(ethylene glycols) (PEG 2000-I), monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycols) (PEG 1900-I), poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidinone) (PVP-I) and poly(N-acryloyl morpholine) (PACM-I), all having approximatively the same number average molecular weight (Mn congruent equal to 2000), were prepared and tested for their pharmacokinetic properties after oral administration. It was found that the two end-hydroxylated amphiphilic oligomers of polyvinylic structure, PACM and PVP, whose physico-chemical properties are comparable to those of PEGs especially as regards solvent affinity, have in principle a similar potential as promoieties for preparing oligomeric prodrugs.

New synthetic amphiphilic polymers for steric protection of liposomes in vivo

Carboxy group-terminated synthetic polymers--branched poly(ethylene glycol), poly(acryloylmorpholine), and poly(vinylpyrrolidone)--were made amphiphilic by derivatization with phosphatidyl ethanolamine via the terminal carboxy group and then incorporated into lecithin-cholesterol liposomes prepared by the detergent dialysis method. Following the biodistribution of liposomes in mice, all three polymers were shown to be effective steric protectors for liposomes and were able to sharply increase liposome circulation times in a concentration-dependent manner. The accumulation of liposomes in the liver decreases. The effects observed are similar to those found for liposomes modified with linear poly(ethylene glycol). At low polymer concentration, amphiphilic branched poly(ethylene glycol) seems to be the most effective liposome protector, most probably, because at the same molar content of anchoring groups, each attachment point carries two polymeric chains and doubles the quantity of liposome-grafted polymer comparing to linear poly(ethylene glycol).