MeO-PEG20000-Mal is a functionalized polymer material that is crucial in the fields of biocoupling technology and drug delivery. Its core value lies in its ability to achieve targeted delivery and site-specific modification. In simple terms, it is an "intelligent connector", with one end serving as an invisible "shield" and the other as a precise "gripper".
Full English name: Methoxy-Poly(ethylene glycol)-Maleimide (MW 20,000)
The molecular weight is 20,000 Da (20kD), and the PEG chain length contains approximately 450 ethylene oxide units
Functional group Maleimide (Mal
It appears as a white or off-white solid powder/flocculent solid
Solubility: Readily soluble in water, DMSO, DMF and other polar solvents
Storage conditions: Store at -20°C in a dry and dark place. Prevent deliquescence strictly. It is recommended to fill with nitrogen for protection.
⚙️ Core functions and mechanisms of action
The core function of MeO-PEG20000-Mal is to act as a bifunctional molecule for site-specific coupling:
Specific "gripper" (reacting with thiol groups) :
The Cysteine residues on biomolecules such as proteins, peptides and antibodies contain free thiol groups (-SH).
The Mal group will undergo covalent reactions with these -SH groups to form very stable thioether bonds.
This reaction has extremely high specificity, avoiding non-specific binding with other functional groups (such as amino groups), and achieving site-specific modification.
Introduce "invisible shield" (peG-modified) :
Through the above reaction, the huge mPEG-20K chain is attached to the target molecule.
This brings all the benefits of peG-ization:
Enhance stability: Prevent protein aggregation and denaturation, and shield enzymatic hydrolysis sites.
Reduce immunogenicity: Mask antigenic epitopes on proteins to reduce the risk of recognition by the immune system.
Extend half-life: Significantly increase the circulation time of the modified molecule in the blood (long-term effect).
Increase water solubility: Improve the solubility of hydrophobic drugs.
Main application fields
The application of MeO-PEG20000-Mal is extremely extensive, covering multiple cutting-edge fields in biomedicine:
PEG modification of protein/antibody drugs (long-acting) :
Attach mPEG-20K to the specific cysteine of therapeutic proteins or antibody fragments (FABs) to produce long-acting drugs. For example, prolong the action time of drugs such as interferon and G-CSF, and reduce the administration frequency. A large molecular weight of 20K can provide a longer half-life.
Construction of Targeted Drug Delivery Systems
This is one of its most core applications. By taking advantage of the reaction between Mal and -SH, targeted ligands (such as antibodies, peptides, and aptamers) are attached to the PEG terminals of lipid nanoparticles (LNPS), polymer micelles, or other nanocellators.
Typical construction process: First, prepare nanoparticles containing PEG lipids with terminal bands -SH (such as HS-PEG-DSPE), and then "graft" the target molecules onto them through MeO-PEG20000-Mal to achieve active targeting.
Biosensors and diagnostic reagents
Enzymes, antibodies and other biometric molecules are immobilized on the surface of electrodes or chips through Mal groups to construct biosensors or diagnostic reagents, enhancing stability and sensitivity.
Material surface functionalization
The ability to modify nanomaterials (such as gold nanoparticles, quantum dots) or the surface of medical devices to introduce a biocompatible layer and further couple biomolecules subsequently.
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