Polyamide-amine Dendrimer Research Articles

Dendrimer intercalation in layered double hydroxides

New organic/inorganic (O/I) hybrid assemblies based on Layered Double Hydroxide (LDH) with polyamide amine dendrimer (PAMAM, generation −0.5 and generation +0.5) were prepared by two different routes using either the direct coprecipitation at constant pH or the anion exchange procedure in double surfactant S+S− phases. The obtained materials were characterized by means of powder X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis associated with mass spectrometry, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. X-ray powder diffraction pattern of the O/I LDH assembly exhibit characteristic profiles of LDH-based materials with basal spacing depending on the nature of the dendrimer. Indeed, for both synthetic procedures, interleaved PAMAM −0.5 gives rise to an interlayer space in agreement with a perpendicular molecular arrangement against the layer of the host structure. For PAMAM+0.5, considering its spherical dimension, a much smaller basal spacing was observed. This observation was interpreted as shrinkage of the molecule to accommodate the interlayer LDH gap, which was rendered possible by the bond angle twisting within PAMAM−0.5. FTIR spectra confirm the presence of both moieties inside both Zn2Al/PAMAM G−0.5 and Zn2Al/PAMAM G+0.5 assemblies. Finally, thermal analysis associated with mass spectrometry confirm this composition, and in situ temperature XRD data reveal that the highly constrained arrangement for the generation +0.5 is not accompanied by a gain in thermal structural stability; in fact, the assembly prepared from PAMAM −0.5 is more stable. Both O/I PAMAM LDH assemblies constitute well-defined materials which are candidate for catalytic applications.

Dendrimer Diffusion in κ-Carrageenan Gel Structures

The effect of the kappa-carrageenan concentration on gel microstructure and self-diffusion of polyamideamine dendrimers has been determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), image analysis, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) diffusometry. Different salt conditions of KCl, NaCl, and mixtures thereof allowed for formation of significantly different microstructures. The kappa-carrageenan concentrations were varied between 0.25 and 3.0 w/w% for a salt mixture containing 20 mM KCl and 200 mM NaCl gels and between 0.5 and 4.0 w/w% for 250 mM NaCl gels. Furthermore, the effect of potassium ion concentration on the gel structure and the dendrimer diffusion rate was determined. The potassium ion concentration was varied between 20 mM KCl and 200 mM KCl. Two different dendrimer generations with significant difference in size were used: G2 and G6. Dendrimers were found to be sensitive probes for determination of the effect of the gel microstructure on molecular diffusion rate. A qualitative comparison between TEM micrographs, NMR diffusometry data and image analysis showed that the gel structure has a large impact on the dendrimers diffusion in kappa-carrageenan gels. It was found that diffusion was strongly influenced by the kappa-carrageenan concentration and the dendrimer generation. Small voids in the gel network gave strongly reduced diffusion. Image analysis revealed that the interfacial area between the gel network and the surrounding water phase correlated well with the dendrimer diffusion.

Solubilization and Release Properties of Dendrimers. Evaluation as Prospective Drug Delivery Systems

The polarity and accessibility to the interior of several dendrimers using phenanthrene, anthracene and tetrabenzonaphtalene as probe molecules have been investigated. In addition the prospective application of the dendrimers as drug carriers was evaluated by incorporating 5(6)-methylbenzo[1,2-c]1,2,5-oxadiazole N 1-oxide] (1) and 2′-(benzo[1,2-c] 1,2,5-oxadiazol-5(6)-yl(N1-oxide) methylidene]-1-methoxy methane hydrazide (2). These compounds have antichagasic therapeutic activity but very low water solubility, which limits their application. Polypropylene imine dendrimers with amine terminal groups (DAB-16AT and DAB-32AT) and polyamide amine (PAMAM) dendrimers with carboxylate terminal groups (PAMAM-32CT), with amine terminal groups, (PAMAM-8AT and PAMAM-32AT) and with hydroxyl terminal groups (PAMAM-32OHT) were chosen for this study. Approximately one molecule of phenanthrene or anthracene was encapsulated in PAMAM-32CT, PAMAM-32AT, PAMAM-32OHT and DAB-32AT dendrimers. However, slight encapsulation was observed working with PAMAM-8AT and DAB-16AT. The studies with tetrabenzonaphtalene show that the guest molecule might only be partially caged within the dendrimer host. However, for relatively insoluble solutes the efficiency to encapsulate can be dictated by the saturation in the aqueous phase besides the dendrimer capacity to dissolve it. These dendrimers are also able to encapsulate and consequently solubilize 1 and 2 oxadiazol. However, PAMAM dendrimers are better for encapsulation and retention due to guest-host specific interactions. These interactions can be diminished by lowering the pH to allow a controlled deliverance of the drug.

Nano-sized dendrimer PAMAM/polystyrene composite polymer emulsion

Single state emulsion polymerization of styrene with aggregates of generation 4.5 polyamideamine dendrimer and sodium dodecyl sulfate as templates produces lattices with diameters in the range 33–66 nm and polydispersity indices of less than 10%.

Structure/function relationship in the polyplexes containing cationic polypeptides for gene delivery.

Various cationic polypeptides of linear or highly branched structures were synthesized by introducing tertiary or quaternary ammonium groups and hydroxyl groups to poly(L-lysine) (PL) or polyamideamine (PAMAM) dendrimers. These polycations were mixed with plasmid DNA to form polyplexes and subjected to in vitro gene introduction experiment. The transient gene expression was greatly affected by the side groups of PL derivatives or the surface cation charge density of PAMAM dendrimers. This difference in gene expression was found to result from two independent factors as follows: one is the cellular uptake of the polyplexes and the other is the compaction of the polyplexes. Lower charge density of PAMAM dendrimers suppressed the polyplex formation and cellular uptake, resulting the lower gene expression. Only the polycations that form polyplexes compacted at an adequate extent lead an effective gene expression, suggesting that the physicochemical properties of the polyplexes defined by the chemical structures of the polycations play an important role in the effective gene transfer.

Construction of α-helical peptide dendrimers conjugated with multi-metalloporphyrins: photoinduced electron transfer on dendrimer architecture

Noncovalent assembly of ZnII–mesoporphyrin IX was accomplished by coordination to α-helical peptides (4–64 segments) based on polyamideamine dendrimer; the electron transfer functions were expressed more effectively with the growth of the dendrimer generation.