Effect of amphiphilic phosphorous dendrons on the conformation, secondary structure, and zeta potential of albumin and thrombin
Résumé
Amphiphilic dendrons are highly branched synthetic polymeric soft nanoparticles that possess properties of both dendrimers and micelles. Such properties allow dendrons to become promising delivery systems for targeted delivery. While much attention is focused on the design and biological effect of a drug-delivery system, the nature of its interaction with surrounding tissues—their biocompatibility—is crucial for further optimization. The biocompatibility and biological effects of some amphiphilic phosphorus dendrons on human serum albumin and thrombin are investigated in this report. The results from protein fluorescence, circular dichroism, and zeta potential experiments showed that the dendrons of the first generation have a lesser impact on protein molecules than the dendrons of the second generation and therefore tend to be more biocompatible.