New amphiphilic glycopolymers by click functionalization of random copolymers – application to the colloidal stabilisation of polymer nanoparticles and their interaction with concanavalin A lectin

Glycopolymers with mannose units were readily prepared by click chemistry of an azido mannopyranoside derivative and a poly(propargyl acrylate-co-N-vinyl pyrrolidone). These glycopolymers were used as polymer surfactants, in order to obtain glycosylated polycaprolactone nanoparticles. Optimum stabilization for long time storage was achieved by using a mixture of glycopolymers and the non-ionic triblock copolymer Pluronic(®) F-68. The mannose moieties are accessible at the surface of nanoparticles and available for molecular recognition by concanavalin A lectin. Interaction of mannose units with the lectin were evaluated by measuring the changes in nanoparticles size by dynamic light scattering in dilute media.