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Updated: Dec 25, 2025
Synthesis of Stimuli-responsive Nanogels using Aqueous One-step Crosslinking and Co-nanopolymerization
Published on: January 24, 2025
Tumor-mediated shape-transformable nanogels with pH/redox/enzymatic-sensitivity for anticancer therapy
Dong Zhou1, Sainan Liu1, Yongjun Hu2
1Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Key Laboratory for the Synthesis and Application of Organic Functional Molecules of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China. yulinli@uma.pt.
Researchers developed a novel biodegradable nanoplatform for targeted cancer therapy. This nanomedicine improves tumor penetration and releases smaller drug-carrying nanovesicles within the tumor for enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicity.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Current nanomedicines face challenges with tumor penetration, limiting their clinical efficacy in cancer therapy.
- Developing nanocarriers with improved tumor permeability and controlled release is crucial for effective cancer treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel biodegradable nanoplatform for selective and controlled delivery of anticancer agents.
- To enhance tumor permeability and achieve release of ultrasmall nanovesicles in the tumor microenvironment.
- To create a nanomedicine with improved biocompatibility, biosafety, and in vivo antitumor efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of positively charged nanogels via double-crosslinking of chitosan.
- Transformation of nanogels into negatively charged nanocarriers (CTCP) by conjugating to an anionic oligomer.
- Encapsulation of doxorubicin (DOX) into CTCP to form DOX@CTCP nanomedicine.
- Evaluation of sustained drug release, reduced toxicity, and in vivo antitumor efficacy.
Main Results:
- The developed nanomedicine (DOX@CTCP) demonstrated sustained doxorubicin release and decreased toxicity.
- In the tumor microenvironment, DOX@CTCP cleaved to release smaller, DOX-carrying nanoblocks, facilitating cancer cell entry.
- The nanomedicine exhibited excellent biocompatibility and biosafety.
- Significant enhancement in in vivo antitumor efficacy was observed.
Conclusions:
- The novel biodegradable nanoplatform (DOX@CTCP) effectively overcomes tumor penetration limitations.
- The stimuli-responsive release mechanism enhances therapeutic delivery into cancer cells.
- This nanomedicine shows great promise for improving cancer therapy with enhanced efficacy and safety.
