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Poly(vinyl alcohol)-based polyelectrolyte pervaporation membranes.

By modifying poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), phosphatic anionic PVA (P-PVA) and quaternary ammonium cationic PVA (C-PVA) with various degrees of substitution (D.S.) were synthesized. The effects of synthesis conditions on the degree of substitution were studied. With these two kinds of materials, polyelectrolyte complexes were formed and their solubilities in water were studied. Pervaporation composite membranes were prepared from P-PVA, C-PVA, and their polyelectrolyte complexes. Some of the membranes showed good separation performance. The polyelectrolyte complex membrane prepared by mixing P-PVA (D.S. 2.3%) and C-PVA (D.S. 2.9%) with weight ratio of 1/1, showed a permeation rate of 378 g/m(2)h and separation factor of 2,250 for dehydration of ethanol/water mixture (ethanol 95.4 wt%) at a feed temperature of 75 degrees C. Some factors that influenced pervaporation performance included type of polyelectrolyte, degree of substitution, ratio of polyanion and polycation, feed temperature, feed concentration, and elapsed time. Solvent resistance of pervaporation composite membranes was also evaluated.

Chemistry Techniques, Analytical↗

From hollow shells to artificial cells: biointerface engineering on polyelectrolyte capsules.

Biomimetic composites can be fabricated by coating hollow polyelectrolyte capsules with biological interfaces such as a phospholipid membrane and proteins. Polyelectrolyte capsules have been templated applying the Layer-by-Layer technique of polyelectrolyte assembled on decomposable cores, which are destroyed after the assembly of the polyelectrolyte multilayer. Phospholipid vesicles of 200-300 nm size are spreaded on the capsule wall forming a continuous lipid membrane. Further functionalisation of the outer capsule wall can be achieved with fused virions and recrystallised S-layers. Compartimentation of the capsule interior with lipid vesicles has been possible by using a solvent exchange method. The functionalisation of the outer capsule surface with biomolecules, together with the creation of internal compartments in the capsule, open new nanobiotechnological challenges towards the fabrication of artificial cells.

Bacillus↗

Polyelectrolyte coatings for microchip capillary electrophoresis.

In chip-based electrophoretic analysis of biomolecules, chemical modification of the microchannel is widely employed to reduce or eliminate the analyte-wall interactions and alter electroosmotic flow (EOF) in the microchannel. A stable polyelectrolyte multilayer coating is one common way to regulate or eliminate EOF and prevent analyte adsorption for the rapid, efficient separation of biomolecules within microchannels. A wide variety of polyelectrolytes have been used as coatings. This chapter deals with how to coat microchips with polyelectrolytes and the expected results using polybrene and dextran sulfate as models. The technique presented here is generally applicable to any polyelectrolyte.

Dimethylpolysiloxanes↗

Structural and functional properties of Langmuir films of antibodies based on amphiphilic polyelectrolytes.

We optimized the procedure for the formation of Langmuir films of antibodies based on amphiphilic polyelectrolytes and studied the physicochemical and immunochemical properties of the films obtained. Their immunochemical properties were compared with the immunochemical activity of antibodies in Langmuir films without amphiphilic polyelectrolytes and with antibodies adsorbed on the surface of polystyrene and graphite. The efficiency of immune adsorption by the films based on amphiphilic polyelectrolytes was shown to be greater; the affinity of antibodies and surface concentration of their active conformation depended on the type of amphiphilic polyelectrolytes used to obtain the films. We investigated the structure of these films at the surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite using the method of atomic force microscopy. Changes in the structure of the films under study caused by the increase of surface pressure were demonstrated.

Antibodies↗

[The electrostatic contribution to interactions of some enzymes with polyelectrolytes].

To explain the inhibitory action of polyelectrolytes on enzymes and, in particular, to define potentially reactive zones for the binding of polyelectrolyte, the electric potential of enzymes lactate dehydrogenase and glutamate dehydrogenase was calculated using the solution of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation by a numerical method with the use of the Gauss-Seidel relaxation method at three pH values: 6.5, 7.0, and 8.0 and three values of ionic strength: 50, 100, and 150 mm. On the basis of these calculations and their visualization, representative sites for favorable binding of polyanions were determined as extended areas on the surface of proteins with the positive potential in the neutral pH region. It was shown that there is a correlation between the area of positive potential and the efficiency of enzyme inactivation for a number of pH values and concentrations of salt for two enzymes. The calculations performed allowed one to explain the inhibitory action of polyelectrolytes on the specified enzymes to understand the difference between the values of polyelectrolyte inactivation constants for the two enzymes and estimate the minimal areas of the positive potential on the protein surface that provide their effective inhibition.

Animals↗

Extracellular enzyme loss during polyelectrolyte flocculation of cells from fermentation broth.

Association of extracellular protein product with flocculated cells reduces product yield. Here, partitioning of the enzyme subtilisin between the liquid and polyelectrolyte-flocculated and sedimented Bacillus increased as the polymer dosage was increased beyond that necessary to obtain optimum floc character (brain floc) for cell removal by centrifugation. Partitioning to the cell floc is partly physical entrapment at all polymer dosages; however, at higher levels there is also direct interaction between the polyelectrolyte and enzyme. Enzyme loss was not likely due to pH denaturation during the flocculation process because conditions were within the stable pH range of the enzyme. The direct interaction between polyelectrolyte and enzyme was characterized through turbidimetric titrations and partitioning studies. Neither changes in the polymer feed concentration nor the method of polymer addition reduced the enzyme loss at dosages optimal for cell removal.

Bacillus↗

Cationic polyelectrolyte hydrogel fosters fibroblast spreading, proliferation, and extracellular matrix production: Implications for tissue engineering.

Fibrous encapsulation is known to occur to many prosthetic implants and is thought to be due to the cells not adhering adequately to the surface. For developing new materials able to enhance cellular adhesion by mimicking extracellular matrix components, polyelectrolyte polymers, characterized by tunable surface charges, have been proposed. Here we demonstrate that panoply of cell functions over a two-dimensional substratum is influenced by surface charge. We have at first generated structurally related polyelectrolyte substrata varying in their positive surface charge amount and subsequently evaluated a variety of behaviors of human primary fibroblasts seeded on these polymers. The proportion of adherent, spreading, and proliferating cells was increased significantly on cationic hydrophilic surfaces when compared with the neutral base surface. The extent of cell spreading correlated with cytoskeleton organization as assessed using immunofluorescence techniques. In the key experiment, the presence of cationic charges on cell adhesion-resistant neutral surface increased the synthesis of collagen I and III, the release of their metabolites, and the expression of their mRNA by fibroblasts. Interestingly, the scarce collagen deposits on neutral polymer consisted, for the most part, of collagen I while collagen III was present only in traces probably due to the secretion of metalloproteinase-2 by non-adherent fibroblasts. Taken together, these results show that polyelectrolyte films may promote the attachment of fibroblast cells as well as their normal secretory phenotype. Both effects could be potentially useful in integrating soft connective tissue to the implant, decreasing the chance of its fibrous encapsulation.

Adult↗

High-throughput analysis of mumps virus and the virus-specific monoclonal antibody on the arrays of a cationic polyelectrolyte with a spectral SPR biosensor.

We investigated the potential use of a spectral surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor in a high-throughput analysis of mumps virus and a mumps virus-specific mAb on the arrays of a cationic polyelectrolyte, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA). The PDDA surface was constructed by electrostatic adsorption of the polyelectrolyte onto a monolayer of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA). Poly-L-lysine was also adsorbed onto the MUA monolayer and compared with the PDDA surface in the capacity of mumps virus immobilization. The PDDA surface showed a higher adsorption of mumps virus than the poly-L-lysine surface. The SPR signal caused by the virus binding onto the PDDA surface was proportional to the concentration of mumps virus from 0.5 x 10(5) to 14 x 10(5) pfu/mL. The surface structure of the virus arrays was visualized by atomic force microscopy. Then, a dose-dependent increase in the SPR signal was observed when various concentrations of the antimumps virus antibody in buffer or human serum were applied to the virus arrays, and their interaction was specific. Thus, it is likely that the spectral SPR biosensor based on the cationic polyelectrolyte surface may provide an efficient system for a high-throughput analysis of intact virus and serodiagnosis of infectious diseases.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Polyelectrolyte complex formation and stability when mixing polyanions and polycations in salted media: a model study related to the case of body fluids.

Controlled drug delivery and gene transfection involve contact of artificial polyelectrolytic systems that can interact dramatically with biopolymers and cells when they are introduced in blood. Given the complexity of body aqueous media in terms of physical chemistry, a model approach was selected in attempt to understand the behavior of artificial polyelectrolytes introduced in body fluids. Selection in terms of molecular weight was highlighted in a previous paper. In the present study the formation and the stability of fractions obtained when a polycation is added to a polyanion according to a titrating process mimicking injection into blood was considered for different polycation/polyanion couples. Poly(amino serinate) and poly(L-lysine) were used as polybases, and poly(acrylic acid), poly(L-lysine citramide) and poly(L-lysine citramide imide) as polyacids. Four fractions corresponding to different positive/negative charge ratios were formed for each couple. At low polyion concentration (13 mg/L) and given salt concentration, the stability of the complex fractions depended on molecular weight and charge density of the polyions. The NaCl concentration required to destabilize the different interpolyelectrolyte complexes was found to decrease from the first fraction to the fourth one. Upon decreasing the salt concentration, macroscopic flocculation occurred in the case of PLL/PAA complex fractions only. For the other couples, dynamic light scattering showed that several hundreds nanometer sized particles were formed that were stable in a broad range of NaCl concentration, including the physiological 0.15 ionic strength. At higher polyion concentrations, stable solid precipitate was formed regardless of the system. The absence of flocculation in the case of highly diluted poly(L-lysine citramide) and poly(L-lysine citramide imide) polyanions in salted media is assigned to the presence of non-ionic hydroxyl and amide polar groups along the complexed chains. Data show that introducing non-ionic functions along the polyelectrolyte chains is a good means to keep interpolyelectrolyte complexes dispersed in salted media, a conclusion of interest in the field of condensation of genes by polycations.

Body Fluids↗

The effect of polyelectrolyte chain length on layer-by-layer protein/polyelectrolyte assembly--an experimental study.

The effect of polyelectrolyte chain length on the formation of multilayered assemblies of alternating globular proteins and linear polyanions prepared by the layer-by-layer electrostatic adsorption technique was investigated. The systems studied were albumin/sodium poly(styrenesulfonate), immunoglobulin G/sodium poly(styrenesulfonate), albumin/sodium dextran sulfate, and albumin/heparin. The formation of assemblies was followed using FTIR multiple internal reflection spectroscopy. While the amount of polyelectrolyte adsorbed on the first (primary) protein layer did not depend on its molecular weight, the effect of polyelectrolyte chain length was clearly observed in the following steps of alternating adsorption. Some short-chain polyanion molecules were removed from the surface when a next protein layer was adsorbed from solution. The short polyanion chains were not able to make a sufficient number of ion pairs for stable interaction with additional protein molecules and left the surface as soluble protein/polyanion complexes. The most pronounced effect could be seen with sodium poly(styrenesulfonate) of Mw up to ca. 2 x 10(4), but a detectable effect could be traced even up to Mw ca. 8 x 10(4). Such a pronounced effect, however, was not observed with dextran sulfate. The effect of molecular weight of heparin was clearly observed but all heparins tested, regardless of their molecular weight, effectively assembled with albumin to form multilayer.

Adsorption↗

Formation and properties of positively charged colloids based on polyelectrolyte complexes of biopolymers.

Formation of colloids based on polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) was mainly studied with synthetic polyelectrolytes. In this study, we describe the elaboration of positively charged PEC particles at a submicrometer level obtained by the complexation between two charged polysaccharides, chitosan as polycation and dextran sulfate (DS) as polyanion. The complexes were elaborated by dropwise addition of default amounts of DS to excess chitosan. Quasi-elastic light scattering was used to investigate in detail the influence of the characteristics of components (chain length, degree of acetylation) and parameters linked to the reaction of complexation (molar mixing ratio, ionic strength, concentration in polymer) on the sizes and polydispersity of colloids. Chain length of chitosan is the major parameter affecting the dimensions of the complexes, high molar mass chitosans leading to the largest particles. Variations of hydrodynamic diameters of PECs with the molar mass of chitosan are consistent with a mechanism of particle formation through the segregation of the neutral and then hydrophobic blocks of the polyelectrolyte complexed segments. Resulting particles display probably a structure constituted by a neutral core surrounded by a chitosan shell ensuring the colloidal stabilization. Such a structure was evidenced by measurements of electrophoretic mobilities revealing that the positive charge of particles was decreasing with pH, in relation with the neutralization of excess glucosamine hydrochloride moieties.

Acetylation↗

Structure/property relationships in erodible multilayered films: influence of polycation structure on erosion profiles and the release of anionic polyelectrolytes.

We have investigated the influence of polymer structure on the erosion profiles of multilayered polyelectrolyte assemblies fabricated from sodium poly(styrene sulfonate) (SPS) and three different hydrolytically degradable polyamines. We synthesized three structurally related poly(beta-amino ester)s (polymers 1-3) having systematic variations in both charge density and hydrophobicity. These changes in structure did not influence film thickness significantly, but polymer structure was found to play an important role in defining the rates at which multilayered assemblies fabricated from these materials eroded in physiologically relevant media. Films 60 nm thick fabricated from polymer 1 and SPS eroded completely in 50 h when incubated in PBS buffer at 37 degrees C, as determined by ellipsometry. Analogous films fabricated from polymers 2 and 3 eroded and released SPS into solution over significantly longer time periods ranging from approximately 150 h (ca. 6 days) to 370 h (ca. 15 days), respectively. These differences are consistent with a systematic increase in the hydrophobicity of polymers 1-3 as well as the relative rates at which these polymers degrade hydrolytically. This work demonstrates that it is possible to tailor the rates at which thin, multilayered polyelectrolyte assemblies release incorporated anionic polyelectrolytes over a large range of time periods simply by changing the structure of the degradable polyamine used to fabricate a film. The principles reported here may therefore contribute to the design of multilayered assemblies that permit a broad range of spatial and temporal control over the release of therapeutic agents from coated surfaces.

Coated Materials, Biocompatible↗

Cationic polyelectrolytes: potent opsonic agents which activate the respiratory burst in leukocytes.

Bacteria and yeasts which are "opsonized" with cationic polyelectrolytes (poly-L-arginine, poly-L-histidine and arginine-rich histone) are avidly endocytosed by both "professional" and "non-professional" phagocytes. The cationized particles also strongly activate the respiratory burst in neutrophils and in macrophages leading to the generation of chemiluminescence, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. On the other hand, lysine and ornithine-rich polymers are poor opsonic agents. Poly L-arginine is unique in its capacity to act synergistically with lectins, with chemotactic peptides and with cytochalasin B to generate large amounts of chemiluminescence and superoxide in human neutrophils. Unlike polyarginine, polyhistidine, in the absence of carrier particles, is one of the most potent stimulators of superoxide generations, known. Neutrophils treated with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide fail to generate superoxide, but generate strong luminol-dependent chemiluminescence which is totally inhibited by sodium azide and by thiourea. Neutrophils injured by cytolytic agents (saponin, digitonin, lysolecithin) lose their chemiluminescence and superoxide-generating capacities upon stimulation by a variety of ligands. These activities are however regained by the addition of NADPH. Lysolecithin can replace polyarginine in a "cocktail" also containing lectins and cytochalasin B, which strongly activate the respiratory burst. This suggests that polyarginine acts both as a cytolytic agent and as a ligand. Arginine and histidine-rich polyelectrolytes enhance the pathogenic effects of immune complexes in vivo (reversed Arthus phenomenon) presumably by "glueing" them to tissues. Polyhistidine complexed to catalase or to superoxide dismutase, markedly enhances their efficiency as antioxidants. On the other hand polyhistidine complexed to glucose oxidase markedly enhances injury to endothelial cells suggesting that the close association of the cationized enzyme with the plasma membrane facilitates the interaction of hydrogen peroxide with the targets. A variety of cationic agents (histone, polyarginine, polyhistidine, polymyxin B) and membrane-active agents (lysophosphatides, microbial hemolysins) act synergistically with glucose oxidase or with reagent hydrogen peroxide to kill target cells. The mechanisms by which arginine- and histidine-rich polyelectrolytes activate the respiratory burst in neutrophils might involve interaction with G-proteins, the activation of arachidonic acid metabolism and phospholipase A2, or the interaction with myeloperoxidase. Naturally-occurring cationic proteins might modulate several important functions of leukocytes and the course and outcome of the inflammatory process.

Animals↗

New evidence of the nonequilibrium nature of the "slow modes" of diffusion in polyelectrolyte solutions.

The time-dependent behavior of the dissolution of polyelectrolyte powders in pure water and moderate ionic strength aqueous solvent was monitored by flowing dissolving material through an online filter, and then through a multiangle light scattering unit, a refractometer, and a capillary viscometer. When the polyelectrolytes were dissolved in solutions of moderate ionic strength, their dissolution behavior was similar to that of neutral polymers. When dissolved in pure water, however, there was consistently a small population of aggregates that appeared at the beginning of the dissolution process, which then rapidly diminished. For large pore filtration, the aggregates reached a final low level, and slowly disappeared over the span of many days, whereas for small pore filtration the aggregates disappeared completely over a scale of minutes. The real-time data, together with size exclusion chromatography analysis, shed light on previously unanswered questions concerning the nonequilibrium nature of this small population of polyelectrolyte aggregates in low ionic strength solutions, and its relation to the "extraordinary phase" of diffusion (or "slow modes"). Further evidence is also provided that both angular scattering maxima due to interpolyion correlations and the maximum of reduced viscosity vs polyion concentration ("electroviscous" effect) at low ionic strength are equilibrium properties that are unrelated to these aggregates.

Diffusion↗

Conjugated polyelectrolytes--conformation-sensitive optical probes for staining and characterization of amyloid deposits.

Specific markers for diseases associated with protein aggregate depositions are of great interest. Here we report the use of conjugated polyelectrolytes as conformation-sensitive optical probes for histological labeling of amyloid deposits in ex vivo tissue samples-amyloid light chains in primary systemic amyloidosis, islet amyloid polypeptide in human pancreas, and Abeta amyloid in Alzheimer's disease. Under suitable conditions, these probes bind specifically to amyloid deposits, and this is seen as an orange-red emission from the polyelectrolyte. Furthermore, the probes emit light of different colors when bound to different amyloid deposits or other intracellular structures. This phenomenon is most probably due to differences in the protein conformation in these structures. Hence, different protein conformations will generate geometric alterations of the bound polyelectrolyte backbone, affording different emissions from the bound probe. Conformation-sensitive probes thus provide a direct link between spectral signal and protein conformation. Finally, the probes also proved useful for ex vivo fluorescence imaging by multiphoton excitation.

Amyloid↗

Polyelectrolyte templated polymerization in langmuir films: nanoscopic control of polymer chain organization.

Polyelectrolytes introduced in the aqueous subphase are shown to have a profound impact on the kinetics of polymerization of N-octadecylaniline at the air/water interface. This can be attributed to changes effected in molecular organization and reorientation behavior in the Langmuir film. The polyelectrolyte templates lead to considerable modification of the morphology of the monomer and polymer Langmuir films. Polyelectrolyte complexation is found to be an elegant and efficient methodology to achieve enhanced alignment of the polyaniline chains in the transferred Langmuir-Blodgett (Langmuir-Schafer) film.

Journal Article↗

Theory of electrophoretic mobility of a polyelectrolyte in semidilute solutions of neutral polymers.

An explicit formula is derived for the electrophoretic mobility of a polyelectrolyte molecule in a semidilute solution of neutral polymers in terms of the molecular weight N of a polyelectrolyte, concentration c of neutral polymers, Debye length and solvent quality. The nature of the crossover between different regimes, as c, N, and the salt concentration are varied, is presented. The calculations show that one progressively enters into regimes of no-separation, separation, and no-separation in the electrophoresis of polyelectrolytes as c is increased. If c is very high, one returns to the mechanism of separation in gel electrophoresis.

Electrolytes↗

Influence of dentinal polyelectrolytes on wet demineralized dentin, a bonding substrate.

The objective of this study was to show the influence of dissolved dentinal polyelectrolytes on the characteristics of dentin (bonding substrate) demineralized by citric acid in the absence or presence of ferric chloride. The demineralizing agent was an aqueous mixture of 0, 1, 3, or 10% ferric chloride in 10% citric acid (10-0, 10-1, 10-3, 10-10, respectively). The hypothesis was that the concentration of dissolved dentinal noncollagenous substances, mainly polyelectrolytes soluble in water, must be decreased by their aggregation with ferric ions, which changes the characteristics of demineralized dentin, the rates of demineralization, and dehydration. Cervical bovine dentin was prepared in 3 x 2 x 2-mm blocks, each weighing 20.0 +/- 0.5 mg. The rate of demineralization was investigated by measuring the weight loss resulting from demineralization by immersion in 10 mL of conditioner at 2-h intervals. The dehydration rate of wet demineralized dentin was determined using two methods: (1) weight loss in a desiccator under 263 Pa pressure and (2) differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Twenty, 12, 8, and 4 h were required to complete demineralization of the blocks with the 10-0, 10-1, 10-3, and 10-10 solutions, respectively. The 10-10 wet demineralized dentin showed the highest rate of dehydration, followed in descending order by the 10-3, 10-1, and 10-0 specimens. Ferric chloride in dentin conditioners provided both a higher rate of dentin demineralization and a higher dehydration rate of wet demineralized dentin. These results suggest that in the presence of ferric chloride, a decreasing amount of dissolved polyelectrolytes aggregated with ferric ions in the substrates may increase the permeability of dentin to water and citric acid. Improvement of monomer permeability is essential to the preparation of good hybridized dentin, providing a more stable and reliable bonding and also protecting the dentin and pulp from infection. A further study of bonding substrates is required in order to understand the role of hybridized dentin in improved dental treatment.

Animals↗