One-Step
Synthesis of Dual Clickable Nanospheres via Ultrasonic-Assisted Click
Polymerization for Biological Applications
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Abstract
Dual clickable nanospheres (DCNSs)
were synthesized in one step using an efficient approach of ultrasonic-assisted
azide–alkyne click polymerization, avoiding the need of surfactants.
This novel approach presents a direct clickable monomer-to-nanosphere
synthesis. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier
transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and dynamic laser scattering
(DLS) were used to characterize the synthesized DCNSs. Numerous terminal
alkynyl and azide groups on the surface of DCNSs facilitate effective
conjugation of multiple molecules or ligands onto a single nanocarrier
platform under mild conditions. To exemplify the potential of DCNSs
in biological applications, (1) multivalent glyconanoparticles (GNPs)
were prepared by clicking DCNSs with azide-functionalized and alkyne-functionalized
lactose sequentially for the determination of carbohydrate-galectin
interactions with quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) biosensor. Using
protein chip (purified galectin-3 coated on chip) and cell chip (Jurkat
cells immobilized on chip), the QCM sensorgrams showed excellent binding
activity of GNPs for galectins; (2) fluorescent GNPs were prepared
by clicking DCNSs with azide-functionalized Rhodamine B and alkyne-functionalized
lactose sequentially in order to target galectin, which is overexpressed
on the surface of Jurkat cells. The fluorescent images obtained clearly
showed the cellular internalization of fluorescent GNPs. This fluorescent
probe could be easily adapted to drugs to construct lectin-targeted
drug delivery systems. Thus, DCNSs prepared with our method may provide
a wide range of potential applications in glycobiology and biomedicine