Helical polycarbodiimide polymers and associated imaging, diagnostic, and therapeutic methods

Abstract

Described herein are suspensions of helical polycarbodiimide polymers that ‘cloak’ nanotubes, thereby effecting control over nanotube emission, providing a new mechanism of environmental responsivity, and enabling precise control over sub-cellular localization. The helical polycarbodiimide polymers described herein are water soluble, easily modifiable, and have unique architectures that facilitate their application in radiopharmaceutical delivery and imaging methods, in therapeutics and therapeutic delivery methods, and their use as sensors—both in conjunction with carbon nanotubes, and without nanotubes.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to and the benefit of, and incorporates herein by reference in its entirety, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 038,235.GOVERNMENT SUPPORT[0002]This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grant DP2-HD07569.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]This invention relates generally to compositions comprising polycarbodiimide polymers, and related imaging, diagnostic, and therapeutic methods.BACKGROUND[0004]Carbon nanotubes have several features which demonstrate their potential for biomedical applications including cellular sensing and imaging. For example, carbon nanotubes can be metallic or semiconducting depending on their structure, which is due to the symmetry and unique electronic structure of graphene. Thus, the electronic structure and diameter of the carbon nanotube will determine the spectral characteristics seen in absorption, fluorescence, Raman scattering, etc. Moreover, the environmental...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes a new type of polymer that can control the emission of nanotubes, allowing for better control over the environment and more precise localization within the body. These polymers are water-soluble, easy to modify, and have unique structures that make them useful in a variety of applications, such as delivering molecules and treating diseases. They can also be used to deliver radionuclides or radionuclide-chelating agents. Overall, this patent introduces a new technology for controlling nanotube emission and offers new possibilities for research and development.

Problems solved by technology

However, such uses require the ability to simultaneously modulate nanotube fluorescence and to biocompatibly derivatize the nanotube surface using noncovalent methods.

However, encapsulation with biopolymers can produce higher background signal (e.g., DNA can produce high oxidation current and subsequently higher background currents) or provide inadequate control of coating the nanotube and therefore affect optical response (e.g., protein denaturation in unfavorable conditions).

Moreover, the above-mentioned synthetic polymers do not provide controllable and / or tunable properties, which limit the ability to measure (e.g., via imaging) the kinetics of dynamic self-assembly and disassembly and translocation of photoluminescent nanotubes into live cell nuclei.

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