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Development of pH‐sensitive nanogels for cancer treatment using crosslinked poly(aspartic acid‐ graft ‐imidazole)‐ block ‐poly(ethylene glycol)
Author(s) -
Sim Taehoon,
Lim Chaemin,
Cho Young Hun,
Lee Eun Seong,
Youn Yu Seok,
Oh Kyung Taek
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.46268
Subject(s) - ethylene glycol , chemistry , peg ratio , imidazole , aspartic acid , cytotoxicity , kinetics , swelling , polymer chemistry , nuclear chemistry , drug delivery , materials science , stereochemistry , biochemistry , organic chemistry , in vitro , amino acid , physics , finance , quantum mechanics , composite material , economics
pH‐sensitive nanogels (NGs) based on poly(aspartic acid‐ graft ‐imidazole)‐poly(ethylene glycol) were developed using linear PEG with different molecular weights (2000 and 4000 Da) as crosslinkers. The pH‐sensitive NGs showed reversible size changes during continuously alternating pH changes. The anticancer treatment potential of pH‐sensitive NGs was studied using a model drug, irinotecan (IRI). IRI‐loaded NGs (ILNs) showed different drug release kinetics in acidic versus neutral pH, in addition to pH‐dependent cytotoxicity. Due to its longer crosslinker, ILN 4 (crosslinked with PEG 4000) showed faster IRI release and a greater magnitude of IRI release than ILN 2 (crosslinked with PEG 2000), resulting in greater cytotoxicity against HCT 116 colorectal cancer cells. These pH‐sensitive NGs could potentially be used in cancer treatment by mediating the accumulation and release of IRI from ILNs in the acidic tumor environment and by reducing systemic toxicity due to reversible swelling–shrinkage. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135 , 46268.