Glyco-copolypeptide grafted magnetic nanoparticles: the interplay between particle dispersion and RNA loading

Lysine-glyco-copolypeptide grafted superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared through N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) copolymerization. Statistical and block copolymer arrangements were obtained while keeping the overall composition constant. Both type of nanoparticles are fully water dispersible, which is key for T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications. A synergistic effect between siRNA loading and imaging properties was observed in the statistical copolymer arrangement allowed a significantly higher loading while retaining full particle dispersion, as required for T1-weighting.