Self-assembled carbohydrate-based micelles for lectin targeting

Biocompatible low-polydispersity micelles designed for lectin targeting have been prepared by spontaneous self-assembly in water of macromolecular glycosylated amphiphiles. Propargyl-beta-lactoside and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide were conjugated by copper-catalyzed Huisgen cycloaddition to azide-terminated PEG 900 stearate. Upon dissolution in water, the resulting amphiphiles immediately self-assemble into highly regular micelles having a mean diameter of 10 nm. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) were used to investigate the structure of the self-assembled saccharidic amphiphiles micelles. The presence of the carbohydrate epitopes on the surface of the micelles and their bioavailability for lectin targeting were also demonstrated by light scattering measurements. Specific interaction of the GlcNac and Lac residues with Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA) and Peanut Agglutinin (PNA) respectively, unveils potential applications of such carbohydrate-derived surfactants as simple and site-specific vectorization systems for drug delivery.