Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026
11:27
Synthesis Method for Cellulose Nanofiber Biotemplated Palladium Composite Aerogels
Published on: May 9, 2019
8.8K
Aldehyde-Functionalized Cellulose Nanofiber Hydrogels for pH-Sensitive Drug Delivery via Dynamic Imine Bonding
Hiroya Tsubota1, Jeongjin Park2, Hyoungwook Kang3
1Chemical Engineering Program, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8527 Japan.
ACS Omega
|February 9, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a novel cellulose-based hydrogel that releases drugs in response to disease-related pH changes. The smart hydrogel offers tunable drug delivery and enhanced stability, showing promise for targeted cancer therapy.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Smart hydrogels offer potential for targeted drug delivery.
- Controlling hydrogel network density is crucial for tunable drug release.
- Acid-catalyzed reactions provide a mechanism for responsive material design.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a cellulose-based hydrogel system responsive to disease-associated pH.
- To investigate the role of acid-catalyzed imine bond formation in controlling hydrogel properties and drug release.
- To evaluate the biocompatibility and therapeutic efficacy of the developed hydrogel system.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of aldehyde-functionalized TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (A-TOCNF) and glycol chitosan (GC) hydrogels.
- Utilizing acid-catalyzed imine bond formation for cross-linking and network density control.
- Assessing drug release kinetics (DOX, α-MS) under varying pH conditions.
- Characterizing hydrogel structure (SEM) and mechanical properties (AFM).
- Evaluating cell viability and anticancer efficacy (WST-8 assay).
Main Results:
- The hydrogel exhibited pH-dependent drug release, with accelerated release under acidic conditions due to imine bond hydrolysis.
- An acid catalyst enhanced cross-linking, creating a denser network and suppressing drug release.
- SEM and AFM confirmed increased structural compactness and mechanical stability in acid-catalyzed hydrogels.
- In vitro studies validated the hydrogel's biocompatibility and the anticancer efficacy of DOX-loaded formulations.
Conclusions:
- The developed cellulose-based hydrogel system demonstrates tunable, pH-responsive drug delivery capabilities.
- Acid-catalyzed imine bond formation is an effective strategy for controlling hydrogel network density and drug release kinetics.
- This biodegradable platform shows significant potential for site-specific and sustained drug delivery, particularly for amine-containing therapeutics.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:23Aldehydes and Ketones with Amines: Imine Formation Mechanism
8.5K
Imine formation involves the addition of carbonyl compounds to a primary amine. It begins with the generation of carbinolamine through a series of steps involving an initial nucleophilic attack and then several proton transfer reactions. The second part includes the elimination of water, as a leaving group, to give the imine.
Imines are formed under mildly acidic conditions. A pH of 4.5 is ideal for the reaction.
If the pH is low or the solution is too acidic, the reaction slows down in the...
Imines are formed under mildly acidic conditions. A pH of 4.5 is ideal for the reaction.
If the pH is low or the solution is too acidic, the reaction slows down in the...
8.5K
01:16Aldehydes and Ketones with Amines: Imine and Enamine Formation Overview
6.7K
Primary amines react with carbonyl compounds—aldehydes and ketones—to generate imines. Imines consist of a C=N double bond and are named Schiff bases after its discoverer—the German chemist Hugo Schiff. On the other hand, secondary amines react with carbonyl compounds to give enamines. In enamines, the presence of a C=C double bond adjacent to the nitrogen atom leads to the delocalization of the lone pair.
6.7K
01:25Drug-Receptor Bonds
4.7K
Drug-receptor bonds are formed through various chemical forces when drugs interact with target cells. Covalent bonds, strong and irreversible, are exemplified by DNA-alkylating anticancer agents that inhibit cell division. However, such irreversible drug binding lacks selectivity and can modify the DNA of the surrounding healthy cells. Covalent binding often contributes to tissue toxicity, as seen with chloroform and paracetamol metabolites binding to the liver, causing hepatotoxicity.
In...
In...
4.7K
02:45Functional Groups
89.1K
Functional groups are a group of atoms with characteristic properties, which when linked to the carbon skeleton of a molecule, alter the properties of that molecule. For example, the presence of certain functional groups on a molecule will make them hydrophilic, whereas others will make them hydrophobic. These functional groups are an indispensable part of organic chemistry and important components of biological molecules, such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Each...
89.1K
02:49Bond Energies and Bond Lengths
31.5K
Stable molecules exist because covalent bonds hold the atoms together. The strength of a covalent bond is measured by the energy required to break it, that is, the energy necessary to separate the bonded atoms. Separating any pair of bonded atoms requires energy — the stronger a bond, the greater the energy required to break it.
31.5K
02:43Peptide Bonds
83.4K
A peptide bond covalently attaches amino acids through a dehydration reaction. One amino acid's carboxyl group and another amino acid's amino group combine, releasing a water molecule. The resulting bond is the peptide bond. The products that such linkages form are peptides. As more amino acids join this growing chain, the resulting chain is a polypeptide. Each polypeptide has a free amino group at one end. This end has the N-terminal, or the amino-terminal, and the other end has a free...
83.4K