Polypept(o)ides combine the stealth-like properties of polypeptoids such as polysarcosine (poly(N-methyl glycine), pSar) with the multifunctionality and intrinsic stimuli-responsiveness of synthetic polypeptides. This class of copolymers can be synthesized by controlled living ring-opening polymerization of the corresponding α-amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) and N-substituted glycine N-carboxyanhydrides (NNCAs). When the polymerization is performed under clean conditions, the resulting copolymers are characterized by high end-group fidelity and Poisson-like molecular weight distributions with dispersities below 1.2. While pSar might be able to tackle most of the current concerns of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), e.g., acute immune responses, the polypeptide part can provide a plethora of reactivity or functionality, allowing to tailor the polymer for specific tasks. In this review, we provide an overview on the origins of NCA polymerization and polypept(o)ides and provide a detailed overview on the last decade of research focusing on synthesis, characterization, and application. Arguably the biggest applicational progress for polypept(o)ides has been made in nanomedicine. Here, the remarkable combination of functionality, biocompatibility and a high degree of synthetic control has led to established protocols for the certified production of polypept(o)ides, which will enable the rapid clinical translation for the years to come.

中文翻译：

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Polypept（o）ides – 起源、合成、应用和未来方向


Polypept（o）ides 结合了多肽类化合物（如聚（N-甲基甘氨酸，pSar））的隐形特性与合成多肽的多功能性和内在刺激反应性。这类共聚物可以通过相应的 α-氨基酸 N-羧酐 （NCA） 和 N 取代甘氨酸 N-羧酐 （NNCAs） 的受控活开环聚合来合成。当在清洁条件下进行聚合时，所得共聚物具有高端基保真度和分散度低于 1.2 的类似泊松分子量分布的特点。虽然 pSar 可能能够解决聚乙二醇 （PEG） 目前的大部分问题，例如急性免疫反应，但多肽部分可以提供大量的反应性或功能，从而允许为特定任务定制聚合物。在这篇综述中，我们概述了 NCA 聚合和多肽（o）ide 的起源，并详细概述了过去十年专注于合成、表征和应用的研究。可以说，polypept（o）ides 的最大应用进展是在纳米医学中取得的。在这里，功能性、生物相容性和高度合成控制的显着结合导致了 polypept（o）ides 认证生产的既定方案，这将使未来几年的快速临床转化成为可能。