Nanostructured multifunctional stimuli-responsive glycopolypeptide-based copolymers for biomedical applications
Mahsa Sedighi, Zahra Mahmoudi, Alireza Ghasempour, Mehdi Shakibaie, Fahimeh Ghasemi, Mahsa Akbari, Samin Abbaszadeh, Ebrahim Mostafavi, Hélder A. Santos, Mohammad‐Ali Shahbazi
Abstract
Inspired by natural resources, such as peptides and carbohydrates, glycopolypeptide biopolymer has recently emerged as a new form of biopolymer being recruited in various biomedical applications. Glycopolypeptides with well-defined secondary structures and pendant glycosides on the polypeptide backbone have sparked lots of research interest and they have an innate ability to self-assemble in diverse structures. The nanostructures of glycopolypeptides have also opened up new perspectives in biomedical applications due to their stable three-dimensional structures, high drug loading efficiency, excellent biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Although the development of glycopolypeptide-based nanocarriers is well-studied, their clinical translation is still limited. The present review highlights the preparation and characterization strategies related to glycopolypeptides-based copolymers, followed by a comprehensive discussion on their biomedical applications with a specific focus on drug delivery by various stimuli-responsive (e.g., pH, redox, conduction, and sugar) nanostructures, as well as their beneficial usage in diagnosis and regenerative medicine.