Reduction-responsive multifunctional hyperbranched polyaminoglycosides with excellent antibacterial activity, biocompatibility and gene transfection capability.

There is an increasing demand in developing of multifunctional materials with good antibacterial activity, biocompatibility and drug/gene delivery capability for next-generation biomedical applications. To achieve this purpose, in this work series of hydroxyl-rich hyperbranched polyaminoglycosides of gentamicin, tobramycin, and neomycin (HP and SS-HP with redox-responsive disulfide bonds) were readily synthesized via ring-opening reactions in a one-pot manner. Both HP and SS-HP exhibit high antibacterial activity toward Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Meanwhile, the hemolysis assay of the above materials shows good biocompatibility. Moreover, SS-HPs show excellent gene transfection efficiency in vitro due to the breakdown of reduction-responsive disulfide bonds. For an in vivo anti-tumor assay, the SS-HP/p53 complexes exhibit potent inhibition capability to the growth of tumors. This study provides a promising approach for the design of next-generation multifunctional biomedical materials.