Thanks to Mr. Jason Adkins for expert technical assistance.

1. Defatting Commercial Gliadin
<ol>
	<li>Measure 150 ml of acetone with a graduated cylinder and pour into 250 ml Erlenmeyer flask.
	<ol>
		<li>While stirring with a spin bar on a magnetic stirrer at RT, add 30 g of commercial gliadin powder. Seal the opening of flask with aluminum foil, and keep on stirring O/N in the hood.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Filtrate the solution with a filter paper.
	<ol>
		<li>Wash the filtrate with fresh acetone (ca. 50 ml). Let stand for 10 min to allow the acetone to drain.</li>
		<li>Transfer the filtrate together with the filter paper underneath to a large dish such as a cell culture square dish. Cover the whole dish with a large filter paper to slow down the evaporation of residual acetone.</li>
		<li>Allow the filtrate to dry completely in the hood O/N. Store the defatted gliadin in an air-tight container at RT.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
2. Preparation of Purified Gliadin
<ol>
	<li>Measure 150 ml of water with a graduated cylinder and pour into 1,000 ml Erlenmeyer flask.
	<ol>
		<li>Measure 350 ml of absolute ethanol with a mess cylinder and pour into the same 1,000 ml Erlenmeyer flask. Stir vigorously (800 - 1,000 rpm) with a spin bar until no bubble is generated from the solution mixture.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>While stirring, add 20 g of defatted-commercial gliadin powder. Add gliadin in small amounts at a time to avoid the formation of lumps that contains air in the middle. Keep on stirring O/N.</li>
	<li>Transfer the whole solution to a 1,000 ml mess cylinder. Let stand for two days. During this time, impurities will be precipitated at the bottom of the cylinder.</li>
	<li>Transfer the supernatant to a rotary evaporator with a pipette, and remove ethanol from the supernatant as much as possible. As the percentage of ethanol is reduced, gliadin will appear in the solution as aggregate.</li>
	<li>Freeze the solution containing gliadin aggregates by immersing/rotating in methanol/dry ice mixture and freeze-dry at -70 &#176;C under vacuum. Before freeze-drying, make sure the whole solution is frozen without any liquid. 
	NOTE: The freeze-dried gliadin will form a porous solid.</li>
	<li>Crush the freeze-dried gliadin with mortar and pestle, and grind with a coffee grinder to obtain a fine power (&#60;0.5 mm). Transfer the product into an air-tight container and store at RT.</li>
</ol>
3. Polymerization Reaction of ECA with Gliadin
<ol>
	<li>Place a scintillation vial (volume is around 20 ml) in a weighing balance, and tare. Add 3.2 g distilled water and 6.8 g absolute ethanol in the scitillation vial.</li>
	<li>Move the scintillation vial on to a magnetic stirrer, put a magnetic spin bar (20&#160;x 3 mm) into the vial, and stir vigorously (800 - 1,000 rpm) until no air bubble is generated from the aqueous ethanol mixture.</li>
	<li>Add 40 &#181;l of 4 N HCl into the vial while stirring. Add 20 mg of gliadin into the vial while stirring, and keep on stirring until gliadin powder is fully dissolved in the aqueous ethanol mixture.</li>
	<li>After making sure the gliadin solution is clear to the naked eyes, slowly add 80 - 100 &#181;l of ECA while stirring speed is still 800 - 1,000 rpm.
	<ol>
		<li>Lower the stirring speed to 500 rpm, and continue stirring for 1 hr. As the reaction proceeds, observe turbidity which indicates that the polymerization reaction is in progress.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>When the reaction is terminated, transfer the solution into centrifuge tubes, and balance the weight of the tubes. Centrifuge the reaction product at 10,000 x g for 20 min. During this time, side product precipitates and nanoparticles remain in the supernantant. The major component of side product is PACA homopolymer.</li>
	<li>After the centrifuge, transfer the produced nanoparticle suspension (supernatant) with a pipette to a scintillation vial (or any air-tight container), and store it at RT.</li>
</ol>
4. Characterization of the Product
<ol>
	<li>Prepare 10 g of 68 wt% aqueous ethanol by mixing 3.2 g water and 6.8 g absolute ethanol in 20 ml scintillation vial and stir until no bubble is generated from the solution mixture.
	<ol>
		<li>Add 40 &#181;l of 4 N HCl to the solution mixture while stirring. Add 50 &#181;l of nanoparticle suspension to the prepared ethanol solution while stirring.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Measure the size of nanoparticle with Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) by using the sample solution prepared above and follow manufacturer&#39;s instructions. 
	NOTE: The size of the final product has to be smaller than 200 nm. If it is larger than 200 nm, the product will not be stable for an extended period of time. Larger nanoparticles are produced when the employed ECA is not fresh.</li>
</ol>
5. Examination of the Product
<ol>
	<li>Prepare a glass plate such as a hand mirror.&#160;Wash the surface of glass plate with soap water. Rinse the surface of glass plate with flowing water. Dry the cleaned surface or use without drying for the next step.</li>
	<li>Spray the nanoparticle suspension obtained in 3.6) on a part of the glass plate, and rinse off the surface with flowing water immediately.</li>
	<li>Spray pure water on the surface of glass plate. Observe the coated (sprayed with nanoparticle suspension) surface hold water layer while the uncoated surface is clear.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Vauthier, C., Dubernet, C., Fattal, E., Pinto-Alphandary, H., Couvreur, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Poly(alkylcyanoacrylates)+as+biodegradable+materials+for+biomedical+applications.">Poly(alkylcyanoacrylates) as biodegradable materials for biomedical applications.</a> Adv. Drug Deliver. Rev. 55, 519-548 (2003).</li><li>Wieser, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chemistry+of+gluten+proteins.">Chemistry of gluten proteins.</a> Food Microbiol. 24, 115-119 (2007).</li><li>Bietz, J. A., Wall, J. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Identity+of+high+molecular+weight+gliadin+and+ethanol+soluble+glutenin+subunits+of+wheat:+Relation+to+gluten+structure.">Identity of high molecular weight gliadin and ethanol soluble glutenin subunits of wheat: Relation to gluten structure.</a> Cereal Chem. 57, 415-421 (1980).</li><li>Kim, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Production+of+composites+by+using+gliadin+as+a+bonding+material.">Production of composites by using gliadin as a bonding material.</a> J. Cereal Sci. 54, 168-172 (2011).</li><li>Kim, S., Kim, Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Production+of+gliadin-poly(ethyl+cyanoacrylate)+nanoparticles+for+hydrophilic+coating.">Production of gliadin-poly(ethyl cyanoacrylate) nanoparticles for hydrophilic coating.</a> J. Nanopart. Res. 16, 1-10 (2014).</li><li>Behan, N., Birkinshaw, C., Clarke, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Poly+n-butyl+cyanoacrylate+nanoparticles:+a+mechanistic+study+of+polymerisation+and+particle+formation.">Poly n-butyl cyanoacrylate nanoparticles: a mechanistic study of polymerisation and particle formation.</a> Biomaterials. 22, 1335-1344 (2001).</li><li>Nicolas, J., Couvreur, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synthesis+of+poly(alkyl+cyanoacrylate)-based+colloidal+nanomedicines.">Synthesis of poly(alkyl cyanoacrylate)-based colloidal nanomedicines.</a> Wiley Interdiscip. Rev. Nanomed. Nanobiotechnol. 1, 111-127 (2009).</li><li>Kim, S., Evans, K., Biswas, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Production+of+BSA-poly(ethyl+cyanoacrylate)+nanoparticles+as+a+coating+material+that+improves+wetting+property.">Production of BSA-poly(ethyl cyanoacrylate) nanoparticles as a coating material that improves wetting property.</a> Colloid Surface. B. 107, 68-75 (2013).</li><li>Lander, L. M., Siewierski, L. M., Brittain, W. J., Vogler, E. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+systematic+comparison+of+contact+angle+methods.">A systematic comparison of contact angle methods.</a> Langmuir. 9, 2237-2239 (1993).</li><li>Davies, J., Nunnerley, C. S., Brisley, A. C., Edwards, J. C., Finlayson, S. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Use+of+Dynamic+Contact+Angle+Profile+Analysis+in+Studying+the+Kinetics+of+Protein+Removal+from+Steel+Glass,+Polytetrafluoroethylene,+Polypropylene,+Ethylenepropylene+Rubber,+and+Silicone+Surfaces.">Use of Dynamic Contact Angle Profile Analysis in Studying the Kinetics of Protein Removal from Steel Glass, Polytetrafluoroethylene, Polypropylene, Ethylenepropylene Rubber, and Silicone Surfaces.</a> J. Colloid Interf. Sci. 182, 437-443 (1996).</li><li>Giolando, D. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Nano-crystals+of+titanium+dioxide+in+aluminum+oxide:+A+transparent+self-cleaning+coating+applicable+to+solar+energy.">Nano-crystals of titanium dioxide in aluminum oxide: A transparent self-cleaning coating applicable to solar energy.</a> Sol. Energy. 97, 195-199 (2013).</li></ol>

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There are several critical steps in the production of the nanoparticle suspension. If the purified gliadin contains impurities, the reaction with ECA will produce side products. Although these unwanted products can be removed from the reaction medium during the centrifugation stage, it lowers the yield of the major product. If the gliadin solution prepared during experimental step 2.3) does not show clear separation between supernatant and precipitate after two days, the solution needs to stand for longer time. Using fre...

The goal of this article is to show the protocol for the preparation of nanoparticle suspension that modifies the wetting property of materials by a simple spray. The presented nanoparticle suspension is made from alkyl cyanoacrylate1 and a cereal protein, gliadin2,3. During the manufacturing process, protein aggregates are formed in aqueous ethanol4. Subsequent reaction with monomer (alkyl cyanoacrylate) produces the nanoparticle that is comprised of a protein core surrounded by linear polymer chains [poly(alkyl cyanoacrylate)]5.
Poly(alkyl cyanoacrylate)s are biodegradable and have been used for the production of nanoparticles via emulsion polymerization6. This reaction is spontaneously initiated by the hydroxyl groups dissociated from water or by other nucleophilic groups in the reaction medium7. In the case of the reaction presented in this article, the amine groups on the surface of protein aggregates initiate the polymerization reaction of alkyl cyanoacrylate monomers5,8. As a result of this reaction, nanoparticles are formed in the reaction medium. The core of the nanoparticle is protein aggregates and the outer layer is poly(alkyl cyanoacrylate) (PACA) chains. The prepared nanoparticle has a strong affinity on most materials (more precisely, any material which PACA can adsorb to) and adheres onto their surface to form a thin coating on a nanometer scale. A simple spray coating instantly turns the surface of the materials hydrophilic.
Gliadin is one of the main fractions of gluten, which is in the endosperms of wheat. Gliadins are mainly monomeric proteins with molecular weights around 28,000 - 55,000. Non-covalent bonds such as hydrogen bonds, ionic bonds and hydrophobic bonds are responsible for the aggregation of gliadins2. Although gliadin is chosen as a reactant in this article, many other proteins can also be used for the same purpose. However, the reaction condition needs to be modified accordingly because the condition for inducing aggregation is dependent on the type of protein to be employed8. Compared with other proteins, gliadin is more readily available, purification is simple, and production cost is low. Although ethyl cyanoacrylate (ECA) is chosen as a monomer for the presented reaction, other alkyl cyanoacrylates can also be used for the same reaction. The reason for choosing ECA is that it is readily available at low cost.

<table><tbody><tr><td>Ethyl cyanoacrylate (ECA) monomer</td><td>K&amp;amp;R International (Laguna Niguel, CA)</td><td>I-1605</td><td>Any pure ECA can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Gliadin</td><td>MGP Ingredients, Inc (Atchison, KS)</td><td>Gift from the company</td><td>Gliadin can be purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (cat #: G3375-25G). Instead of gliadin, any commercial&amp;nbsp; gluten can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>HCl</td><td>Any</td><td></td><td>Any reagent grade chemical can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Acetone</td><td>Any</td><td></td><td>Any reagent grade chemical can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Methanol</td><td>Any</td><td></td><td>Any reagent grade chemical can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Ethanol (100%)</td><td>Any</td><td></td><td>Any reagent grade chemical can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Filter paper</td><td>Any</td><td></td><td>Any grade filter paper larger than 10 cm can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Cell culture square dish</td><td>Any</td><td></td><td>Any dish larger than 20 x 20 cm can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Coffee grinder</td><td>Any</td><td></td><td>Any coffee grinder can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Rotary evaporator</td><td>Any</td><td></td><td>Any rotary evaporator can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Freeze Dryer</td><td>Any</td><td></td><td>Any freeze dryer that can reach -70 &amp;deg;C can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Centrifuge</td><td>Any</td><td></td><td>Any centrifuge that can apply 1,000 x g can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Magnetic stirrer</td><td>Any</td><td></td><td>Any magnetic stirrer that can turn spin bar to 1,000 rpm can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS)</td><td>Brookhaven Instruments Corporation</td><td>NanoBrook Omni Zeta Potential Analyzer</td><td>DLS from any company can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)</td><td>Carl Zeiss Inc.</td><td></td><td>Any SEM can be used.</td></tr><tr><td>Dynamic Contact Angle (DCA)</td><td>Thermo Cahn Instruments</td><td></td><td>Any DCA can be used.</td></tr></tbody></table>

a protocol for the production of gliadin-cyanoacrylate nanoparticles for hydrophilic coating

This article presents a protocol for the production of protein-based nanoparticles that changes the hydrophobic surface to hydrophilic by a simple spray coating. These nanoparticles are produced by the polymerization reaction of alkyl cyanoacrylate on the surface of cereal protein (gliadin) molecules. Alkyl cyanoacrylate is a monomer that instantly polymerizes at RT when it is applied to the surface of materials. Its polymerization reaction is initiated by the trace amounts of weakly basic or nucleophilic species on the surface, including moisture. Once polymerized, the polymerized alkyl cyanoacrylates show a strong affinity with the object materials because nitrile groups are in the backbone of poly (alkyl cyanoacrylate). Proteins also work as initiator for this polymerization because they contain amine groups that can initiate the polymerization of cyanoacrylate. If aggregated protein is used as an initiator, protein aggregate is surrounded by the hydrophobic poly(alkyl cyanoacrylate) chains after the polymerization reaction of alkyl cyanoacrylate. By controlling the experimental condition, particles in the nanometer range are produced. The produced nanoparticles readily adsorb to the surface of most materials including glass, metals, plastics, wood, leather, and fabrics. When the surface of a material is sprayed with the produced nanoparticle suspension and rinsed with water, the micellar structure of nanoparticle changes its conformation, and the hydrophilic proteins are exposed to the air. As a result, the nanoparticle-coated surface changes to hydrophilic.

Nanoparticles can be prepared in various reaction conditions. Gliadin forms aggregate in broad range of ethanol content5. However, the size of aggregates needs to be as small as possible because an additional layer (i.e., polymerized ECA) will be added to this aggregate and this process will make the final size larger. If the final size of particle is too large, the particle will be unstable and will easily be precipitated. Therefore, 68% aqueous ethanol was chosen as ...

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A Protocol for the Production of Gliadin-cyanoacrylate Nanoparticles for Hydrophilic Coating

This article presents a protocol for the production of protein-based nanoparticles that changes the hydrophobic surface to hydrophilic. The produced nanoparticle is an assembly of gliadin-cyanoacrylate diblock copolymers. Spray coating with the produced nanoparticle changes the surface of target material to a hydrophilic surface.

This article presents a protocol for the production of protein-based nanoparticles that changes the hydrophobic surface to hydrophilic by a simple spray ...

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6.9K Views.  USDA/ARS/NCAUR. This article presents a protocol for the production of protein-based nanoparticles that changes the hydrophobic surface to hydrophilic. The produced nanoparticle is an assembly of gliadin-cyanoacrylate diblock copolymers. Spray coating with the produced nanoparticle changes the surface of target material to a hydrophilic surface.

Video: A Protocol for the Production of Gliadin-cyanoacrylate Nanoparticles for Hydrophilic Coating

Formulation of Diblock Polymeric Nanoparticles through Nanoprecipitation Technique

Nanotechnology is a relatively new branch of science that involves harnessing the unique properties of particles that are nanometers in scale (nanoparticles). Nanoparticles can be engineered in a precise fashion where their size, composition and surface chemistry can be carefully controlled. This enables unprecedented freedom to modify some of the fundamental properties of their cargo, such as solubility, diffusivity, biodistribution, release characteristics and immunogenicity. Since their inception, nanoparticles have been utilized in many areas of science and medicine, including drug delivery, imaging, and cell biology1-4. However, it has not been fully utilized outside of "nanotechnology laboratories" due to perceived technical barrier. In this article, we describe a simple method to synthesize a polymer based nanoparticle platform that has a wide range of potential applications. 
The first step is to synthesize a diblock co-polymer that has both a hydrophobic domain and hydrophilic domain. Using PLGA and PEG as model polymers, we described a conjugation reaction using EDC/NHS chemistry5 (Fig 1). We also discuss the polymer purification process. The synthesized diblock co-polymer can self-assemble into nanoparticles in the nanoprecipitation process through hydrophobic-hydrophilic interactions.
The described polymer nanoparticle is very versatile. The hydrophobic core of the nanoparticle can be utilized to carry poorly soluble drugs for drug delivery experiments6. Furthermore, the nanoparticles can overcome the problem of toxic solvents for poorly soluble molecular biology reagents, such as wortmannin, which requires a solvent like DMSO. However, DMSO can be toxic to cells and interfere with the experiment. These poorly soluble drugs and reagents can be effectively delivered using polymer nanoparticles with minimal toxicity. Polymer nanoparticles can also be loaded with fluorescent dye and utilized for intracellular trafficking studies. Lastly, these polymer nanoparticles can be conjugated to targeting ligands through surface PEG. Such targeted nanoparticles can be utilized to label specific epitopes on or in cells7-10.

This article describes a nanoprecipitation method to synthesize polymer-based nanoparticles using diblock co-polymers. We will discuss the synthesis of diblock co-polymers, the nanoprecipitation technique, and potential applications.

Nanotechnology is a relatively new branch of science that involves harnessing the unique properties of particles that are nanometers in scale ...

Bioengineering

Preparation and Characterization of SDF-1&#945;-Chitosan-Dextran Sulfate Nanoparticles

Chitosan (CS) and dextran sulfate (DS) are charged polysaccharides (glycans), which form polyelectrolyte complex-based nanoparticles when mixed under appropriate conditions. The glycan nanoparticles are useful carriers for protein factors, which facilitate the in vivo delivery of the proteins and sustain their retention in the targeted tissue. The glycan polyelectrolyte complexes are also ideal for protein delivery, as the incorporation is carried out in aqueous solution, which reduces the likelihood of inactivation of the proteins. Proteins with a heparin-binding site adhere to dextran sulfate readily, and are, in turn, stabilized by the binding. These particles are also less inflammatory and toxic when delivered in vivo. In the protocol described below, SDF-1&#945; (Stromal cell-derived factor-1&#945;), a stem cell homing factor, is first mixed and incubated with dextran sulfate. Chitosan is added to the mixture to form polyelectrolyte complexes, followed by zinc sulfate to stabilize the complexes with zinc bridges. The resultant SDF-1&#945;-DS-CS particles are measured for size (diameter) and surface charge (zeta potential). The amount of the incorporated SDF-1&#945; is determined, followed by measurements of its in vitro release rate and its chemotactic activity in a particle-bound form.

The objective of this protocol is to incorporate SDF-1&#945;, a stem cell homing factor, into dextran sulfate-chitosan nanoparticles. The resultant particles are measured for their size and zeta potential, as well as the content, activity, and in vitro release rate of SDF-1&#945; from the nanoparticles.

Chitosan (CS) and dextran sulfate (DS) are charged polysaccharides (glycans), which form polyelectrolyte complex-based nanoparticles when mixed under ...

Using Polystyrene-block-poly(acrylic acid)-coated Metal Nanoparticles as Monomers for Their Homo- and Co-polymerization

We present a template-free method for &#8220;polymerizing&#8221; nanoparticles into long chains without side branches. A variety of nanoparticles are encapsulated in polystyrene-block-poly(acrylic acid) (PSPAA) shells and then used as monomers for their self-assembly. Spherical PSPAA micelles upon acid treatment are known to assemble into cylindrical micelles. Exploiting this tendency, the core-shell nanoparticles are induced to aggregate, coalesce, and then transform into long chains. When more than one type of nanoparticles are used, random and block &#8220;copolymers&#8221; of nanoparticles can be obtained. Detailed procedures are reported for the PSPAA encapsulation of nanoparticles, homo- and co-polymerization of the core-shell nanoparticles, separation and purification of the resulting nanoparticle chains. Transformations of single-line chains into double- and triple-line chains are also presented. The synergy between the polymer shell and the embedded nanoparticles leads to an unusual chain-growth polymerization mode, giving long nanoparticle chains that are distinct from the products of the traditional step-growth aggregation process.

Using Polystyrene-block-polyacrylic acid-coated Metal Nanoparticles as Monomers for Their Homo- and Co-polymerization

We report protocols for &#8220;polymerizing&#8221; various types of polymer-encapsulated metal nanoparticles into long chains of &#8220;homo-&#8220; and &#8220;co-polymers&#8221;.

We present a template-free method for &#8220;polymerizing&#8221; nanoparticles into long chains without side branches. A variety of nanoparticles are ...

High-throughput Synthesis of Carbohydrates and Functionalization of Polyanhydride Nanoparticles

Transdisciplinary approaches involving areas such as material design, nanotechnology, chemistry, and immunology have to be utilized to rationally design efficacious vaccines carriers. Nanoparticle-based platforms can prolong the persistence of vaccine antigens, which could improve vaccine immunogenicity1. Several biodegradable polymers have been studied as vaccine delivery vehicles1; in particular, polyanhydride particles have demonstrated the ability to provide sustained release of stable protein antigens and to activate antigen presenting cells and modulate immune responses2-12.
The molecular design of these vaccine carriers needs to integrate the rational selection of polymer properties as well as the incorporation of appropriate targeting agents. High throughput automated fabrication of targeting ligands and functionalized particles is a powerful tool that will enhance the ability to study a wide range of properties and will lead to the design of reproducible vaccine delivery devices.
The addition of targeting ligands capable of being recognized by specific receptors on immune cells has been shown to modulate and tailor immune responses10,11,13 C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) are pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that recognize carbohydrates present on the surface of pathogens. The stimulation of immune cells via CLRs allows for enhanced internalization of antigen and subsequent presentation for further T cell activation14,15. Therefore, carbohydrate molecules play an important role in the study of immune responses; however, the use of these biomolecules often suffers from the lack of availability of structurally well-defined and pure carbohydrates. An automation platform based on iterative solution-phase reactions can enable rapid and controlled synthesis of these synthetically challenging molecules using significantly lower building block quantities than traditional solid-phase methods16,17.
Herein we report a protocol for the automated solution-phase synthesis of oligosaccharides such as mannose-based targeting ligands with fluorous solid-phase extraction for intermediate purification. After development of automated methods to make the carbohydrate-based targeting agent, we describe methods for their attachment on the surface of polyanhydride nanoparticles employing an automated robotic set up operated by LabVIEW as previously described10. Surface functionalization with carbohydrates has shown efficacy in targeting CLRs10,11 and increasing the throughput of the fabrication method to unearth the complexities associated with a multi-parametric system will be of great value (Figure 1a).

In this article, a high throughput method is presented for the synthesis of oligosaccharides and their attachment to the surface of polyanhydride nanoparticles for further use in targeting specific receptors on antigen presenting cells.

Transdisciplinary approaches involving areas such as material design, nanotechnology, chemistry, and immunology have to be utilized to rationally design ...

Preparation of Hydroxy-PAAm Hydrogels for Decoupling the Effects of Mechanotransduction Cues

It is now well established that many cellular functions are regulated by interactions of cells with physicochemical and mechanical cues of their extracellular matrix (ECM) environment. Eukaryotic cells constantly sense their local microenvironment through surface mechanosensors to transduce physical changes of ECM into biochemical signals, and integrate these signals to achieve specific changes in gene expression. Interestingly, physicochemical and mechanical parameters of the ECM can couple with each other to regulate cell fate. Therefore, a key to understanding mechanotransduction is to decouple the relative contribution of ECM cues on cellular functions.
Here we present a detailed experimental protocol to rapidly and easily generate biologically relevant hydrogels for the independent tuning of mechanotransduction cues in vitro. We chemically modified polyacrylamide hydrogels (PAAm) to surmount their intrinsically non-adhesive properties by incorporating hydroxyl-functionalized acrylamide monomers during the polymerization. We obtained a novel PAAm hydrogel, called hydroxy-PAAm, which permits immobilization of any desired nature of ECM proteins. The combination of hydroxy-PAAm hydrogels with microcontact printing allows to independently control the morphology of single-cells, the matrix stiffness, the nature and the density of ECM proteins. We provide a simple and rapid method that can be set up in every biology lab to study in vitro cell mechanotransduction processes. We validate this novel two-dimensional platform by conducting experiments on endothelial cells that demonstrate a mechanical coupling between ECM stiffness and the nucleus.

We present a new polyacrylamide hydrogel, called hydroxy-PAAm, that allows a direct binding of ECM proteins with minimal cost or expertise. The combination of hydroxy-PAAm hydrogels with microcontact printing facilitates independent control of many cues of the natural cell microenvironment for studying cellular mechanostransduction.

It is now well established that many cellular functions are regulated by interactions of cells with physicochemical and mechanical cues of their ...

Synthesis of Thermogelling Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-graft-chondroitin Sulfate Composites with Alginate Microparticles for Tissue Engineering

Injectable biomaterials are defined as implantable materials that can be introduced into the body as a liquid and solidify in situ. Such materials offer the clinical advantages of being implanted minimally invasively and easily forming space-filling solids in irregularly shaped defects. Injectable biomaterials have been widely investigated as scaffolds for tissue engineering. However, for the repair of certain load-bearing areas in the body, such as the intervertebral disc, scaffolds should possess adhesive properties. This will minimize the risk of dislocation during motion and ensure intimate contact with the surrounding tissue, providing adequate transmission of forces. Here, we describe the preparation and characterization of a scaffold composed of thermally sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-graft-chondroitin sulfate (PNIPAAM-g-CS) and alginate microparticles. The PNIPAAm-g-CS copolymer forms a viscous solution in water at RT, into which alginate particles are suspended to enhance adhesion. Above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST), around 30 &#176;C, the copolymer forms a solid gel around the microparticles. We have adapted standard biomaterials characterization procedures to take into account the reversible phase transition of PNIPAAm-g-CS. Results indicate that the incorporation of 50 or 75 mg/ml&#160;alginate particles into 5% (w/v) PNIPAAm-g-CS solutions quadruple the adhesive tensile strength of PNIPAAm-gCS alone (p&#60;0.05). The incorporation of alginate microparticles also significantly increases swelling capacity of PNIPAAm-g-CS (p&#60;0.05), helping to maintain a space-filling gel within tissue defects. Finally, results of the in vitro toxicology assay kit, 2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide (XTT) and Live/Dead viability assay indicate that the adhesive is capable of supporting the survival and proliferation of encapsulated Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK) 293 cells over 5 days.

Synthesis of Thermogelling PolyN-isopropylacrylamide-graft-chondroitin Sulfate Composites with Alginate Microparticles for Tissue Engineering

An injectable tissue engineering scaffold composed of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-graft-chondroitin sulfate (PNIPAAm-g-CS)-containing alginate microparticles was prepared. The adhesive strength, swelling properties and in vitro biocompatibility are analyzed in this study. The characterization techniques developed here may be applicable to other thermogelling systems.

Injectable biomaterials are defined as implantable materials that can be introduced into the body as a liquid and solidify in situ. Such materials offer ...

Fabricating Degradable Thermoresponsive Hydrogels on Multiple Length Scales via Reactive Extrusion, Microfluidics, Self-assembly, and Electrospinning

While various smart materials have been explored for a variety of biomedical applications (e.g., drug delivery, tissue engineering, bioimaging, etc.), their ultimate clinical use has been hampered by the lack of biologically-relevant degradation observed for most smart materials. This is particularly true for temperature-responsive hydrogels, which are almost uniformly based on polymers that are functionally non-degradable (e.g., poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) or poly(oligoethylene glycol methacrylate) (POEGMA)). As such, to effectively translate the potential of thermoresponsive hydrogels to the challenges of remote-controlled or metabolism-regulated drug delivery, cell scaffolds with tunable cell-material interactions, theranostic materials with the potential for both imaging and drug delivery, and other such applications, a method is required to render the hydrogels (if not fully degradable) at least capable of renal clearance following the required lifetime of the material. To that end, this protocol describes the preparation of hydrolytically-degradable hydrazone-crosslinked hydrogels on multiple length scales based on the reaction between hydrazide and aldehyde-functionalized PNIPAM or POEGMA oligomers with molecular weights below the renal filtration limit. Specifically, methods to fabricate degradable thermoresponsive bulk hydrogels (using a double barrel syringe technique), hydrogel particles (on both the microscale through the use of a microfluidics platform facilitating simultaneous mixing and emulsification of the precursor polymers and the nanoscale through the use of a thermally-driven self-assembly and cross-linking method), and hydrogel nanofibers (using a reactive electrospinning strategy) are described. In each case, hydrogels with temperature-responsive properties similar to those achieved via conventional free radical cross-linking processes can be achieved, but the hydrazone cross-linked network can be degraded over time to re-form the oligomeric precursor polymers and enable clearance. As such, we anticipate these methods (which may be generically applied to any synthetic water-soluble polymer, not just smart materials) will enable easier translation of synthetic smart materials to clinical applications.

Protocols are described for the fabrication of degradable thermoresponsive hydrogels based on hydrazone cross-linking of polymeric oligomers on the bulk scale, microscale, and nanoscale, the latter for preparation of both gel nanoparticles and nanofibers.

While various smart materials have been explored for a variety of biomedical applications (e.g., drug delivery, tissue engineering, bioimaging, etc.), ...

Synthesis of Stimuli-responsive Nanogels using Aqueous One-step Crosslinking and Co-nanopolymerization

Nanogels consisting of crosslinked-polymeric nanoparticles have been developed for the delivery of numerous chemical and biological therapeutics, owing to their versatile bottom-up synthesis and biocompatibility. While various methods have been employed for nanogel synthesis to date, very few have achieved it without the use of harsh organic solvents or high temperatures that can damage the integrity of the biological payload. In contrast, the methodology presented here accomplishes the synthesis of sub-100 nm sized, protein-loaded nanogels using mild reaction conditions. Here, we present a method for the non-covalent encapsulation of protein-based payloads within nano-gels that were synthesized using an aqueous-based, single-step, crosslinking copolymerization technique. In this technique, we initially electrostatically bind a protein-based payload to a cationic quaternary ammonium monomer and simultaneously cross-link and co-polymerize it using ammonium persulfate and N,N,N&#39;,N&#39;-tetramethylethylenediamine to form nanogels that entrap the protein payload. The size and polydispersity index of the nanogels is determined using dynamic light scattering (DLS), while the surface morphology is assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mass of protein entrapped within nanogels is determined by calculating the encapsulation efficiency. Furthermore, the controlled-release ability of the nanogels via the gradual degradation of redox-responsive structural elements is also assessed in bioreduction assays. We provide examples of nanoparticle optimization data to demonstrate all caveats of nanogel synthesis and characterization using this technique. In general, uniformly sized nanogels were obtained with an average size of 57 nm and a polydispersity index value of 0.093. A high encapsulation efficiency of 76% was achieved. Furthermore, the nanogels exhibited controlled release of up to 86% of the encapsulated protein by gradual degradation of novel redox-responsive components in the presence of glutathione over 48 h.

Nanogels are an excellent and versatile nanoparticle platform for the delivery of biologics. Stimuli-responsive poly(ethylene) glycol-based polymeric nano-gels, capable of encapsulating protein-based payloads, were synthesized using a one-step cross-linking co-nanopolymerization strategy in aqueous conditions. The optimal fabrication and characterization of these novel nanoparticles are presented here.

Nanogels consisting of crosslinked-polymeric nanoparticles have been developed for the delivery of numerous chemical and biological therapeutics, owing to ...

Flash NanoPrecipitation for the Encapsulation of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Compounds in Polymeric Nanoparticles

The formulation of a therapeutic compound into nanoparticles (NPs) can impart unique properties. For poorly water-soluble drugs, NP formulations can improve bioavailability and modify drug distribution within the body. For hydrophilic drugs like peptides or proteins, encapsulation within NPs can also provide protection from natural clearance mechanisms. There are few techniques for the production of polymeric NPs that are scalable. Flash NanoPrecipitation (FNP) is a process that uses engineered mixing geometries to produce NPs with narrow size distributions and tunable sizes between 30 and 400 nm. This protocol provides instructions on the laboratory-scale production of core-shell polymeric nanoparticles of a target size using FNP. The protocol can be implemented to encapsulate either hydrophilic or hydrophobic compounds with only minor modifications. The technique can be readily employed in the laboratory at milligram scale to screen formulations. Lead hits can directly be scaled up to gram- and kilogram-scale. As a continuous process, scale-up involves longer mixing process run time rather than translation to new process vessels. NPs produced by FNP are highly loaded with therapeutic, feature a dense stabilizing polymer brush, and have a size reproducibility of &#177; 6%.

Flash NanoPrecipitation (FNP) is a scalable approach to produce polymeric core-shell nanoparticles. Lab-scale formulations for the encapsulation of hydrophobic or hydrophilic therapeutics are described.

The formulation of a therapeutic compound into nanoparticles (NPs) can impart unique properties. For poorly water-soluble drugs, NP formulations can ...

Injectable Supramolecular Polymer-Nanoparticle Hydrogels for Cell and Drug Delivery Applications

These methods describe how to formulate injectable, supramolecular polymer-nanoparticle (PNP) hydrogels for&#160;use as biomaterials. PNP hydrogels are composed of two components: hydrophobically modified cellulose as the network polymer and self-assembled core-shell nanoparticles that act as non-covalent cross linkers through dynamic, multivalent interactions. These methods describe both the formation of these self-assembled nanoparticles through nanoprecipitation as well as the formulation and mixing of the two components to form hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties. The use of dynamic light scattering (DLS) and rheology to characterize the quality of the synthesized materials is also detailed. Finally, the utility of these hydrogels for drug delivery, biopharmaceutical stabilization, and cell encapsulation and delivery is demonstrated through in vitro experiments to characterize&#160;drug release, thermal stability, and cell settling and viability. Due to its biocompatibility, injectability, and mild gel formation conditions, this hydrogel system is a readily tunable platform suitable for a range of biomedical applications.

This protocol describes the synthesis and formulation of injectable, supramolecular polymer-nanoparticle (PNP) hydrogel biomaterials. Applications of these materials for drug delivery, biopharmaceutical stabilization, and cell encapsulation and delivery are demonstrated.

These methods describe how to formulate injectable, supramolecular polymer-nanoparticle (PNP) hydrogels for&#160;use as biomaterials. PNP hydrogels are ...

A Protocol for the Production of Gliadin-cyanoacrylate Nanoparticles for Hydrophilic Coating

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