PEGylated Micro/Nanoparticles Based on Biodegradable Poly(Ester Amides): Preparation and Study of the Core-Shell Structure by Synchrotron Radiation-Based FTIR Microspectroscopy and Electron Microscopy

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 25; no. 13; p. 6999
• Main Authors: Makharadze, Davit, Kantaria, Temur, Yousef, Ibraheem, Del Valle, Luis J, Katsarava, Ramaz, Puiggalí, Jordi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 26.06.2024
• Subjects: Adsorption; Amides - chemistry; Amino acids; Biodegradation; Cancer therapies; Cytotoxicity; electron microscopy; Microscopy; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission - methods; microspectroscopy; Molecular weight; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - chemistry; poly(ester amide); Polyesters - chemistry; Polyethylene glycol; Polyethylene Glycols - chemistry; Polymerization; Polymers; protein adsorption; Proteins; Quantum dots; Radiation; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared - methods; Synchrotrons; Tissues; poly(ester amide); polyethylene glycol; protein adsorption; electron microscopy; nanoparticles; microspectroscopy
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms25136999

Surface modification of drug-loaded particles with polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains is a powerful tool that promotes better transport of therapeutic agents, provides stability, and avoids their detection by the immune system. In this study, we used a new approach to synthesize a biodegradable poly(ester amide) (PEA) and PEGylating surfactant. These were employed to fabricate micro/nanoparticles with a core-shell structure. Nanoparticle (NP)-protein interactions and self-assembling were subsequently studied by synchrotron radiation-based FTIR microspectroscopy (SR-FTIRM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The core-shell structure was identified using IR absorption bands of characteristic chemical groups. Specifically, the stretching absorption band of the secondary amino group (3300 cm ) allowed us to identify the poly(ester amide) core, while the band at 1105 cm (C-O-C vibration) was useful to demonstrate the shell structure based on PEG chains. By integration of absorption bands, a 2D intensity map of the particle was built to show a core-shell structure, which was further supported by TEM images.