Molecular entrapment via homopolymer self-assembly
The present invention provides novel nanostructures comprising solution of PPSU 20 . Methods of preparing the novel PPSU nanostructures, and applications of such nanostructures are also provided.
1. A nanostructure comprising synthetic self-assembling poly(propylene sulfone) (PPSU) homopolymers, wherein the nanostructure is capable of being loaded with cargo.
2. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure is a vesicle-like nanostructure.
3. The nanostructure of claim 2 , wherein the vesicle-like nanostructure has a diameter of less than 240 nm.
4. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure is a bundle-like or micellar nanostructure.
5. A system for delivery of cargo to a target, the system comprising:
(a) the nanostructure of claim 1 ; and
(b) a cargo, wherein the cargo is capable of being loaded on the nanostructure.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the nanostructure is a bundle-like, vesicle-like, or micellar nanostructure.
7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the cargo is capable of being loaded on the nanostructure at an efficiency of at least 75%.
8. A method of producing the nanostructure of claim 1 , the method comprising:
mixing water and a solution of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO):poly(propylene sulfone (PPSU) at a ratio from about 2:1 to about 10:1, to form a monodisperse nanostructure of PPSU within the solution, wherein the nanostructure is capable of carrying a cargo.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the nanostructure comprises a vesicle-like or micellar nanostructure.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the nanostructure comprises bundle-like nanostructures/nanogel s.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising adding a water-soluble cargo to the water before being mixed with the solution of DMSO:PPSU.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the water-soluble cargo is a water-soluble drug, protein, DNA, RNA, peptide or compound.
13. A nanostructure made by the method of claim 8 .
14. A method of loading a cargo in the nanostructure of claim 1 , the method comprising:
(a) mixing water with a solution of DMSO and (poly(propylene sulfone) (PPSU) in the presence of the cargo at a ratio from about 2:1 to about 10:1, to form a monodisperse nanostructure of PPSU comprising the cargo.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the cargo is loaded at an efficiency of at least 75%.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the cargo is loaded at a loading capacity of at least 75% (m/m).
17. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure consists of PPSU homopolymers.
18. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein each of the PPSU homopolymers comprises twenty sulfones.