ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Potential of brush and mushroom conformations in biomedical applications

Rishita Dubey and Pravin Shende

Shobhaben Pratapbhai Patel School of Pharmacy and Technology Management, SVKM’S NMIMS, Mumbai, India

E-mail: shendepravin94@gmail.com

Received: 3 April 2024  Accepted: 8 July 2024

Abstract:

Advancement in drug development explores diverse polymer conformations like brush, mushroom, coil and helical for targeted drug delivery and biomedical innovations. The synthesis and utilization of various polymer types, including polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyacrylic acid (PAA), poly(N-isopropyl-acryamide) (PNIPAM), poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) involve preparation methods like "grafting through," "grafting-to," and "grafting-from" to precisely control chain length, density, and architecture. PEG, known for its stealth properties, shows brush and mushroom conformations based on grafting density, effectively inhibiting macrophage uptake and enhancing nanoparticle circulation time. PAA exhibits pH-sensitive behaviour, for controlled drug release in environmental pH changes and PNIPAM, with its thermo-responsive nature is utilized in cell sheet engineering and tissue engineering enhancing cell adhesion and differentiation on substrates. Advanced computational tools such as molecular dynamics simulations and docking studies are utilized for identifying polymer brush structures and understanding the brush behaviour, interactions, and stability, aiding in the rational design of targeted drug delivery systems. The polymer brush conformations in biomedical applications like cancer therapy involves brush-paclitaxel conjugates and doxorubicin-conjugated brush polymers to enhance drug circulation time, solubility, and controlled release. In imaging applications, polymer brush carriers effectively deliver imaging and contrast agents, improving bioavailability and enabling non-invasive imaging techniques. Stimuli-responsive biosensors, utilizing polymer brush conformations, offer diagnostic versatility, showed by glucose-responsive biosensors for detecting glucose levels provide transformative potentials of conformations in biomedical sciences.

Graphical abstract

Salient features of brush and mushroom conformations.

Keywords: Polymers; Polymer conformations; Brush and mushroom conformations; PNIPAM; PAA; PEG

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-024-03602-3

Chemical Papers 78 (12) 6873–6889 (2024)