Understanding the encapsulation and release of drugs by responsive supramolecular cyclic peptide nanotubes

Cyclic peptides with alternating side chain stereochemistry are capable of self-assembling intolong nanotubes. The conjugation of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers to these peptides leads to self-assembly of ‘tubisomes’, supramolecular assemblies of nanotubes. We have demonstrated that hydrophobic drugs, such as doxorubicin (a common chemotherapy agent), can be encapsulated within tubisomes. We have engineered photo-responsiveness into these tubisomes, such that the particles disassemble upon exposure to UV light to release their therapeutic cargo. Here, we propose to use SANS to understand the chemical factors which influence the capacity of these materials to encapsulate drugs and their morphology in solution, and understand the disassembly mechanism upon exposure to UV light. This will enable the optimised design of controlled, tuneable tubisomes as drug delivery vectors.

侧链立体化学结构交替的环肽（cyclic peptides）能够自组装形成长纳米管。将亲水性与疏水性聚合物与此类环肽进行缀合后，可自组装得到‘管体（tubisomes）’——一类由纳米管构成的超分子组装体。我们已证实，阿霉素（doxorubicin，一种常用化疗药物）这类疏水性药物可被包裹于管体内部。此外，我们还为这些管体工程化引入了光响应特性：当暴露于紫外光时，颗粒会解组装并释放其搭载的治疗性载荷。本研究拟采用小角中子散射（SANS），探究影响此类材料药物包裹能力及其溶液中形貌的化学因素，并阐明其在紫外光照射下的解组装机制。这将助力实现可控、可调的管体作为药物递送载体的优化设计。