Tailor-made biomimetic random copolymers for medical applications

Biospecific copolymers were synthesized by random substitution of a preform ed polymer with suitable chemical groups or by random copolymerization of s uitable functional monomers. Such polymers contain arrangements of the chem ical functions that mimic natural biospecific sites. The probability of occ urrence of such arrangements will depend on the average composition of the copolymer. Two examples of such bioactive copolymers are presented. Some O- [(N-benzylcarbamoyl)methyl]dextrans (DMCB) exhibit an inhibitory effect on the growth of human breast cancer cell lines. Its derivatives, associated o r conjugated to sodium phenylacetate (NaPA), were found to have a strong an titumoral activity on malignant human melanoma 1205LU. Preliminary in vivo tests on nude mice are performed. Adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus to bios pecific random polystyrene derivatives or acrylic terpolymers carrying sulf ate and carboxylate groups is hindered in a composition-dependent way. In a ddition, a correlation between the bacterial adhesion and proliferation has been evidenced. As a result, biospecific random copolymers endowed with bo th bacteriophobic and bacteriostatic activities were synthesized.