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Updated: Oct 27, 2025

Synthesis of Stimuli-responsive Nanogels using Aqueous One-step Crosslinking and Co-nanopolymerization
Published on: January 24, 2025
An Activatable Host-Guest Conjugate as a Nanocarrier for Effective Drug Release through Self-Inclusion
Han Wu1, Hua Wang1, Feilong Qi1,2
1Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics & Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Abstract:
There is a challenge in supramolecular chemotherapy for constructing a system equipped with both sufficient protection and high-efficiency release of drugs. To this end, a new strategy of an activatable host-guest conjugate with self-inclusion property is proposed. Based on the binding affinity gain of intramolecular host-guest self-inclusion, an activatable host-guest conjugate was designed, bearing cucurbit[7]uril as the host, an alkyl ammonium moiety as the guest, and the redox-responsive disulfide linkage. Oxaliplatin, a clinical antitumor drug, could be firmly encapsulated by the activatable host-guest conjugate to form the supramolecular drug with high stability. Moreover, oxaliplatin loaded in the activatable host-guest conjugate could be almost completely released by self-inclusion triggered by glutathione in a tumor microenvironment, thus exhibiting comparable antitumor bioactivity with naked oxaliplatin through in vitro cell experiments. It is highly anticipated that this line of research may open new horizons for programmable and on-demand supramolecular chemotherapy with high antitumor efficiency.
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