In the realm of elemental abundance, carbon stands unparalleled, manifesting in its pristine state through an array of allotropic forms. Carbon nanodots, meticulously crafted from this pure essence, epitomize stability, prowess in electrical and thermal conduction, and a mechanical fortitude that defies conventional boundaries—exhibiting extraordinary rigidity, tenacity, and resilience. Their biocompatibility is matched by a negligible toxicity, while their inherent hydrophobicity, rooted in sp2 hybridization, underscores a surface chemistry distinctly averse to aqueous interaction. Based on our GlycoNano™ Platform, CD BioGlyco focuses on developing carbon-based glyconanoparticles, including graphene and its derivatives, carbon nanotubes, carbon dots, and fullerenes.
Fullerenes are highly regarded for their biocompatibility and effectiveness as platforms for multivalent carbohydrate presentation. The octahedral symmetry and globular architecture of the C60 fullerene core facilitate a uniform 3D distribution of carbohydrates, enhancing their bioactivity and presentation. Therefore, we provide the production of carbon fullerene-based glyconanoparticles. Our glycofullerenes, are particularly promising for pancreatic cancer research due to their localization within the nuclear envelope and ability to generate reactive oxygen species under blue LED illumination.
We use different approaches to obtain carbon nanotube-based glyconanoparticles, encompassing single-walled and multi-walled, are synthesized by attaching glycans to the nanotube surfaces to create biocompatible, multivalent platforms. These glycoconjugates leverage the unique physicochemical, mechanical, and electrical properties of CNTs, making them attractive for various biological applications. Different synthesis techniques, such as covalent functionalization and non-covalent wrapping, are employed to attach glycans, enabling targeted delivery and enhanced bioactivity in medical applications.
Carbon nanodots epitomize a cutting-edge class of carbon-based fluorescing nanomaterials, celebrated as a revolutionary substitute to traditional metallic fluorescent nanoparticles. Their allure stems from the straightforward and cost-effective synthesis process, coupled with minimal toxicity and unparalleled photoelectric and physico-chemical attributes. We also provide carbon dot-based glyconanoparticle production that has gained significant traction as a transformative nanotechnological advancement. Leveraging the exceptional properties of carbon dots, which are low-toxic, stable, and tunable in fluorescence, we integrate glycosides through post-synthetic functionalization. This method ensures that the original structure of the carbohydrate precursors remains intact, enhancing the biocompatibility and bioavailability of the resulting glyconanoparticles.
Graphene materials are celebrated for their extensive surface area, chemical stability, electrical conductivity, and photoelectric properties. Furthermore, their high biological tolerance renders them optimal for deployment as functional nanomaterials in nanomedicine, microelectronics, and wearable devices. Therefore, we employ both non-covalent π–π stacking interactions and covalent binding methodologies to achieve glycoconjugation. Our glycan decoration markedly augments the water solubility, colloidal stability, and biocompatibility of these carbon-based nanomaterials, diminishing their propensity to aggregate in aqueous solutions. Additionally, the incorporation of carbohydrates endows the final compounds with biological targeting capabilities, enabling them to engage with biological receptors effectively.
In the initial stage of the synthesis protocol, we perform the chemical alteration of carbon-based nanoparticle. This transformation is pivotal as it furnishes the requisite reactive positions for the subsequent bonding of numerous sugar units. The modification generally entails the derivatization of the carbon-based nanoparticle with suitable chemical entities that are later employed for the tethering of carbohydrate constituents.
Once the carbon-based nanoparticle is modified, we conduct the attachment of multiple sugar molecules. The modified carbon nanoparticle has multiple active sites that can be used to graft carbohydrate groups simultaneously. This multivalent approach allows for the rapid construction of glyconanoparticles with well-defined glycan presentations. The attachment process often involves the use of linkers or spacers to ensure the proper spacing and orientation of the sugar molecules around the carbon nanoparticle core.
After the attachment of sugar molecules, we purify the glyconanoparticles to remove any unreacted starting materials or by-products. This is typically achieved through precipitation, dialysis, or column chromatography. Following purification, the glyconanoparticles are characterized to confirm their structure and functionality. Common characterization techniques include Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
DOI: 10.3390/nano12152547
Journal: Nanomaterials
Published: 2022
IF: 4.4
Result: In this review, the authors systematically summarize the latest research on the various types of fullerenes studied for antiviral applications. They discuss the structural advantages of fullerenes, present different modification strategies involving the addition of functional groups, evaluate how structural variations affect antiviral activity, and describe the possible antiviral mechanisms. The authors discuss the development of a novel class of hexakis-adduct glycofullerene derivatives as potent multivalent spherical ligands for inhibiting cell infection by pseudotyped Ebola virus particles. They highlight the advantages of using fullerenes as scaffolds due to their three-dimensional structure and controlled functionalization capabilities, which enable the creation of multivalent systems that mimic the surface of pathogens like HIV. The study demonstrates that the hexakis-adduct glycofullerene derivative containing 36 mannoses has significant antiviral activity with an IC50 of 0.3 μM in a pseudotyped Ebola infection model. The authors also explore how the spatial arrangement and valence of the glycofullerene sugars affect antiviral efficacy, suggesting that efficient interaction with receptors is crucial for enhancing antiviral activity.
At CD BioGlyco, we offer development of glycan-functionalized nanomaterials, that has been harnessed to present glycans in a multivalent manner, each with distinct architectural nuances. This array of configurations serves as a crucible for the study of multivalent carbohydrate-mediated mechanisms and their symbiotic interactions with biological receptors. If you want to know more about our Glyconanoparticle Develpoment Service, contact us!
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