An E3‐14.7K Peptide that Promotes Microtubules‐Mediated Transport of Plasmid DNA Increases Polyplexes Transfection Efficiency

Chemical vectors as cationic polymers and cationic lipids are promising alternatives to viral vectors for gene therapy. Beside endosome escape and nuclear import, plasmid DNA (pDNA) migration in the cytosol toward the nuclear envelope is also regarded as a limiting step for efficient DNA transfection with non‐viral vectors. Here, the interaction between E3‐14.7K and FIP‐1 to favor migration of pDNA along microtubules is exploited. E3‐14.7K is an early protein of human adenoviruses that interacts via FIP‐1 (Fourteen.7K Interacting Protein 1) protein with the light‐chain components of the human microtubule motor protein dynein (TCTEL1). This peptide is conjugated with pDNA and mediates interaction of pDNA in vitro with isolated microtubules as well as with microtubules in cellulo. Videomicroscopy and tracking treatment of images clearly demonstrate that P79‐98/pDNA conjugate exhibits a linear transport with large amplitude along microtubules upon 2 h transfection with polyplexes whereas control pDNA conjugate exhibits small non‐directional movements in the cytoplasm. Remarkably, P79‐98/peGFP polyplexes enhance by a factor 2.5 (up to 76%) the number of transfected cells. The results demonstrate, for the first time, that the transfection efficiency of polyplexes can be drastically increased when the microtubules migration of pDNA is facilitated by a peptide allowing pDNA docking to TCTEL1. This is a real breakthrough in the non viral gene delivery field that opens hope to build artificial viruses.     

Estimation of Binding Constants of Cd(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) with Polyethyleneimine (PEI) by Polymer Enhanced Ultrafiltration (PEUF) Technique

Abstract

Continuous and batch processes of polymer enhanced ultrafiltration for the estimation of binding constants of divalent cadmium, nickel, and zinc ions have been elaborated. Polyethyleneimine was used as a complexation agent. Effect of pH and ionic strength on the binding ability of target metal ions to polyethyleneimine were estimated by continuous mode PEUF system. A mathematical model was developed to estimate apparent complexation constants of metal ions with PEI. The development of this model, which is in good agreement with experimental data, enables to compare the data obtained in both continuous and batch system and correlate the effect of pH and ionic strength with apparent binding constants.     

聚乙烯亚胺包埋无色纳米银抗菌剂制备及协同抗菌效果研究

以高枝化聚乙烯亚胺(PEI)为稳定剂,硼氢化钠为还原剂,利用化学还原法制备了纳米银抗菌剂。探讨了温度、PEI与Ag+的摩尔比对纳米银抗菌剂合成的影响,利用紫外分光光度法及扫描电镜对合成纳米银抗菌剂进行了表征,利用抑菌圈实验分别对纳米银及PEI进行了抑菌性能测试,筛选出稳定性好抑菌性强的纳米银抗菌剂制备工艺。实验结果表明,在45℃,PEI与Ag+的摩尔配比在2∶1~0.6∶1条件下能制备无色透明且抑菌性强的具有核壳结构的纳米银抗菌剂,PEI对纳米银抗菌剂具有协同作用。     

Polymer brush coatings for combating marine biofouling

A variety of functional polymer brushes and coatings have been developed for combating marine biofouling and biocorrosion with much less environmental impact than traditional biocides. This review summarizes recent developments in marine antifouling polymer brushes and coatings that are tethered to material surfaces and do not actively release biocides. Polymer brush coatings have been designed to inhibit molecular fouling, microfouling and macrofouling through incorporation or inclusion of multiple functionalities. Hydrophilic polymers, such as poly(ethylene glycol), hydrogels, zwitterionic polymers and polysaccharides, resist attachment of marine organisms effectively due to extensive hydration. Fouling release polymer coatings, based on fluoropolymers and poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomers, minimize adhesion between marine organisms and material surfaces, leading to easy removal of biofoulants. Polycationic coatings are effective in reducing marine biofouling partly because of their good bactericidal properties. Recent advances in controlled radical polymerization and click chemistry have also allowed better molecular design and engineering of multifunctional brush coatings for improved antifouling efficacies.     

An approach to textile dye removal using sawdust from Aspidosperma polyneuron

The textile industry is responsible for discarding wastewater contaminated with dyes. The timber industry generates waste in the form of sawdust. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the adsorptive potential of sawdust obtained from the Aspidosperma polyneuron tree for the removal of the textile dye from wastewater. Sawdust was subjected to different pre-treatments (acid, alkaline and polyethyleneimine) in order to increase its adsorption capacity. Based on the results from the isotherms, treatment with polyethyleneimine (PEI) led to the greatest adsorption capacity and fits the Freundlich model, indicating cooperative adsorption. Other treatments with sawdust best fit the Langmuir model, but the untreated sawdust presented better results than the treated sawdust. These results were only surpassed by sawdust treated with PEI. A. polyneuron revealed good potential for use as an adsorbent to remove dyes, which is a novel result, since to date there is no study on its use as a sorbent material.     

聚乙烯亚胺双组分体系在废新闻纸浆造纸中的应用

本研究以废新闻纸浆作为研究对象，利用聚乙烯亚胺及其改性物分别与阳离子聚丙烯酰胺、阳离子淀粉组成的双组分体系，分析了其助留助滤效果，以及对纸张白度、强度等的影响。     

碳纳米管改性方法对聚酰胺11性能影响研究

采用酸处理和聚乙烯亚胺(PEI)表面修饰两种方法对多壁碳纳米管(MWCNTs)进行改性,将改性碳纳米管与聚酰胺11(PA11)熔融共混,制备了聚酰胺11/酸刻蚀碳纳米管(PA11/a-MWCNTs)和聚酰胺11/聚乙烯亚胺接枝碳纳米管(PA11/PEI-MWCNTs)复合材料,并通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、热重分析仪...     

Iron‐Oxide‐Based Nanovector for Tumor Targeted siRNA Delivery in an Orthotopic Hepatocellular Carcinoma Xenograft Mouse Model

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) holds promise as a new class of therapeutics for HCC, as it can achieve sequence‐specific gene knockdown with low cytotoxicity. However, the main challenge in the clinical application of siRNA lies in the lack of effective delivery approaches that need to be highly specific and thus incur low or no systemic toxicity. Here, a nonviral nanoparticle‐based gene carrier is presented that can specifically deliver siRNA to HCC. The nanovector (NP‐siRNA‐GPC3 Ab) is made of an iron oxide core coated with chitosan‐polyethylene glycol (PEG) grafted polyethyleneimine copolymer, which is further functionalized with siRNA and conjugated with a monoclonal antibody (Ab) against human glypican‐3 (GPC3) receptor highly expressed in HCC. A rat RH7777 HCC cell line that coexpresses human GPC3 and firefly luciferase (Luc) is established to evaluate the nanovector. The nanoparticle‐mediated delivery of siRNA against Luc effectively suppresses Luc expression in vitro without notable cytotoxicity. Significantly, NP‐siLuc‐GPC3 Ab administered intravenously in an orthotopic model of HCC is able to specifically bound to tumor and induce remarkable inhibition of Luc expression. The findings demonstrate the potential of using this nanovector for targeted delivery of therapeutic siRNA to HCC.     

聚乙烯亚胺氨基化改性聚偏氟乙烯接枝丙烯酸纤维膜对活性艳红X-3B的吸附研究

以丙烯酸(AA)为接枝单体,通过溶液聚合法在聚偏氟乙烯(PVDF)上接枝AA,制备出PVDF-g-PAA共聚物,再使用聚乙烯亚胺(PEI)对PVDF-g-PAA进行氨基化改性,制备出PEI氨基化PVDF-g-PAA共聚物(PEI-PVDF-g-PAA),再通过静电纺丝法制备出PEIPVDF-g-PAA纤维膜。使用扫描电子显微镜对PEI-PVDF-g-PAA纤维膜的微观结构进行表征,结果显示纤维膜中纤维的直径为30～50nm,表面有丰富的微孔。以PEI-PVDF-g-PAA纤维膜为吸附材料对模拟活性艳红X-3B染料废水进行吸附,并研究其吸附动力学、吸附等温模型和吸附热力学,结果表明:PEI-PVDF-g-PAA纤维膜的吸附效果远远大于纯PVDF纤维膜和PVDF-g-PAA纤维膜。在活性艳红X-3B溶液的初始质量浓度为150mg/L、pH=1、吸附材料用量为0.015g时,吸附70min后达到平衡,平衡吸附量为494.95mg/g,PEI-PVDF-gPAA纤维膜对活性艳红X-3B的吸附过程满足拟二级动力学模型和Langmuir吸附等温模型,说明PEI-PVDF-g-PAA纤维膜对活性艳红...     

Direct coagulation casting of silicon carbide suspension via polyelectrolyte dispersant crosslink reaction

A direct coagulation casting method for silicon carbide ceramic suspension using dispersant crosslink reaction is reported. Polymer electrolyte (polyethyleneimine, PEI) was used as dispersant to prepare silicon carbide suspension. Common food additives (carboxymethyl cellulose, CMC) were used to coagulate the electrosteric stabilized silicon carbide suspension. There was a well disperse silicon carbide suspension with 0.2 wt% PEI at pH = 5-6. Influence of coagulant on viscosity and zeta potential of the silicon carbide suspension was investigated. It indicates that the high solid loading silicon carbide suspension can be destabilized and coagulated at elevated temperature. It can be attribute to the gradual decrease of electrosteric force due to the crosslink reaction between PEI and CMC. Silicon carbide wet green body with compressive strength of 1.99 MPa could be demolded at 70°C which is higher than that prepared by traditional DCC and dispersant reaction method for nonoxide ceramics. Dense silicon carbide ceramics with relative density above 98.8% and 99.3% had been prepared by liquid phase pressureless and hot pressed sintering, respectively.