Abstract

Two different methods were developed to prepare an adduct of a poly(ethylene glycol)-lysine copolymer with either cysteamine or 1-amino-2-methyl-2-propanethiol. Cysteine-containing peptides could then be disulfide-linked to the thiol groups on the polymer in a facile manner. In the described procedures, a coupling ratio of about 8 peptides/molecule of poly(ethylene glycol)-lysine copolymer (Mw = 27 000) was typically attained. The products were stable at neutral pH, but the peptides could be released from the polymer in a physiologically relevant reducing environment. The release rate was highly dependent on the linker used for forming the disulfide bond. To illustrate the potential biomedical usefulness of this polymer carrier, a Tat peptide-PEG conjugate was shown to inhibit expression of a reporter gene fused to the TAR element of human immunodeficiency virus in a model cell assay.

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.