Multi-Arm Star Shaped Glycopolymers with Precisely Controlled Core Size and Arm Length

Star shaped glycopolymers provide very high binding activities towards lectins. However, straightforward synthesis method for the preparation of multi-arm glycopolymers in a one-pot approach has been challenging. Herein, we report a rapid synthesis of well-defined multi-arm glycopolymers via Cu(0)-mediated reversible deactivation radical polymerisation in aqueous media. D-Mannose acrylamide has been homo- and copolymerized with NIPAM to provide linear arms and then core crosslinked with a bisacrylamide monomer. Thus, the arm length and core size of multi-arm glycopolymers were tuned. Moreover, the stability of multi-arm glycopolymers was investigated and degradation reactions under acidic or basic conditions were observed. The binding activities of the obtained multi-arm glycopolymers with mannose-specific human lectins, DC-SIGN and MBL, were investigated via surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. Finally, the encapsulation ability of multi-arm glycopolymers was examined using DHA and Saquinavir below and above the LCST of P(NIPAM).