Thiol-ene clickable hyaluronans: from macro-to nanogels

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a biocompatible polymer with significant potential in biomedical applications.
• Developing controlled methods for fabricating HA-based nanostructures is crucial for advanced drug delivery systems.
• Thiol-ene click chemistry offers a versatile platform for polymer modification and cross-linking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate hyaluronic acid (HA) nanogels with tunable mechanical and swelling properties.
• To investigate the influence of cross-linking density on nanogel characteristics.
• To explore the potential of these bionanogels for drug delivery applications.

Main Methods:

• Modification of HA with pentenoate groups.
• Cross-linking of modified HA with poly(ethylene glycol)-bis(thiol) via UV-initiated thiol-ene reaction.
• Fabrication of nanoscale hydrogels by confining HA precursors within liposomes prior to cross-linking.
• Purification of nanogels post-cross-linking.

Main Results:

• Precise control over gel rigidity and swelling properties was achieved by adjusting the degree of pentenoate substitution on HA.
• Nanogel size was found to correlate with swelling behavior and cross-linking density.
• Successful fabrication of bionanogels with tunable characteristics was demonstrated.

Conclusions:

• The thiol-ene reaction provides an effective method for synthesizing HA nanogels with controllable properties.
• The developed bionanogels exhibit tunable mechanical strength and swelling, making them promising candidates for drug delivery.
• This approach offers a versatile platform for designing advanced nanocarriers for therapeutic applications.