A new strategy based on electrospray technique to prepare dual-responsive poly(ether urethane) nanogels

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Developing advanced drug delivery systems requires stimuli-responsive nanocarriers.
• Existing methods for nanogel preparation can be complex and inefficient.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple and efficient electrospray method for creating biodegradable, multi-responsive poly(ether urethane) nanogels.
• To characterize the morphology, size, and stimuli-responsive behavior of the synthesized nanogels.
• To evaluate the potential of these nanogels for controlled drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a biodegradable and multi-responsive poly(ether urethane) via a one-pot method.
• Preparation of nanogels using electrospray technique.
• Characterization of nanogel morphology and size using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS).
• Assessment of pH and redox sensitivity (using Glutathione - GSH) through DLS and TEM.
• Drug loading (Doxorubicin - DOX) and evaluation of its release profile under different stimuli.

Main Results:

• Electrospray successfully produced uniform, spherical poly(ether urethane) nanogels with a mean hydrodynamic diameter of approximately 500 nm.
• The nanogels exhibited pH-sensitivity, dissociating in acidic media, and redox-sensitivity, degrading in the presence of GSH.
• The nanogel suspension remained stable at 4°C for at least 30 days without aggregation.
• Doxorubicin-loaded nanogels demonstrated stimulus-responsive drug release, modulating release rates based on pH and GSH levels.

Conclusions:

• Electrospray is a highly efficient and simple technique for preparing biodegradable, multi-responsive poly(ether urethane) nanogels.
• The synthesized nanogels display significant pH and redox sensitivity, making them suitable for targeted drug delivery.
• These nanogels show promise as a platform for controlled release of therapeutics like Doxorubicin, with tunable release kinetics.