‘Clickable’ polymer brush coated magnetic nanoparticles: Employing Diels-Alder and azide-alkyne cycloaddition for modular targeted drug delivery platforms

• Published in: European polymer journal Vol. 220; p. 113490
• Main Authors: Cengiz, Busra, Degirmenci, Aysun, Ejderyan, Nora, Sanyal, Rana, Sanyal, Amitav
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 15.11.2024
• Subjects: Click chemistry; Diels-Alder reaction; Magnetic nanoparticles; Polymer brush; Polymer brush; Click chemistry; Diels-Alder reaction; Magnetic nanoparticles
• ISSN: 0014-3057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2024.113490

[Display omitted] •A dual-functionalizable furan-containing polymer brush-coated magnetic nanoparticle is synthesized.•Orthogonal functionalization using Diels-Alder and Azide-Alkyne cycloaddition is demonstrated.•Drug-conjugated targeted nanoparticle platforms are obtained using the dual-functionalizable polymer brush-coated nanoparticle. Effective methods of multi-functionalization of nanomaterials are essential for fabricating effective targeted drug delivery systems. Herein, we disclose the fabrication of polymer brush-coated magnetic nanoparticles that could be functionalized with drugs and targeting ligands through orthogonal click reactions. In particular, polymers containing electron-rich furan groups as functionalization handles are grown from the surface of magnetic nanoparticles using the ‘graft-from’ approach. Furthermore, azide groups are installed at the chain end of polymer brushes to furnish an orthogonally functionalizable system. The attachment of maleimide-containing fluorescent dyes and cytotoxic drugs using the Diels-Alder reaction is demonstrated. Drug-conjugated nanoparticles functionalized with integrin-targeting peptide using the azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction undergo preferential uptake in cancer cells and show dose-dependent cytotoxicity. We envision that the modularly functionalizable system disclosed here could target various cancer cells using an appropriate combination of drugs and targeting groups.