Preparation of Succinoglycan Hydrogel Coordinated With Fe³⁺ Ions for Controlled Drug Delivery

Hydrogel materials with a gel-sol conversion due to external environmental changes have potential applications in a wide range of fields, including controlled drug delivery. Succinoglycans are anionic extracellular polysaccharides produced by various bacteria, including Sinorhizobium species, which have diverse applications. In this study, the rheological analysis confirmed that succinoglycan produced by Sinorhizobium meliloti Rm 1021 binds weakly to various metal ions, including Fe²⁺ cations, to maintain a sol form, and binds strongly to Fe³⁺ cations to maintain a gel form. The Fe³⁺-coordinated succinoglycan (Fe³⁺-SG) hydrogel was analyzed by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Our results revealed that the Fe³⁺ cations that coordinated with succinoglycan were converted to Fe²⁺ by a reducing agent and visible light, promoting a gel-sol conversion. The Fe³⁺-SG hydrogel was then successfully used for controlled drug delivery based on gel-sol conversion in the presence of reducing agents and visible light. As succinoglycan is nontoxic, it is a potential material for controlled drug delivery.