One pot preparation of fluorescent PEGylated proteins by a thiolactone reaction to be used in theranostic applications has been reported by Zhao et al.
Theranostic combinations usually contain an imaging, a therapeutic and a cloaking component to simultaneously fulfil diagnostic and therapeutic functions. Using upgraded PEGylation technology, a straightforward one-pot strategy based on thiolactone ring-opening has been developed to facilely synthesize a multifunctional PEGylation agent, fluorescent protein-reactive poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), which can subsequently react with a model therapeutic protein to form a fluorescent PEGylated protein as a model of sophisticated theranostic combinations.
Fluorescent PEGylation agent by a thiolactone-based one-pot reaction: a new strategy for theranostic combinations by Yuan Zhao, Bin Yang, Yaling Zhang, Shiqi Wang, Changkui Fu, Yen Wei and Lei Tao Polym. Chem., 2014,5, 6656-6661
Remzi Becer is a web-writer and advisory board member for Polymer Chemistry. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in Materials Science and the director of the Polymer Science and Nanotechnology masters programme at Queen Mary, University of London. Visit www.becergroup.com for more information.
