Stimuli-Responsive Smart Nanogels for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy

Abstract

This article discusses stimuli-responsive poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-coated (PEGylated) nanogels and their biomedical applications. Preparation and characterization of stimuli-responsive PEGylated nanogels composed of a crosslinked poly(2-[N,N-diethylamino]ethyl methacrylate) (PEAMA) core and PEG tethered chains are initially described. Stimuli-responsive PEGylated nanogels show unique properties and functions in synchronizing with the reversible volume phase transition of the PEAMA core in response to the extracellular pH (7–6.5) of a tumor environment as well as endosomal/lysosomal pH (6.5–5.0) and temperature. We list several biomedical applications of stimuli-responsive PEGylated nanogels, including ¹⁹F magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRS/I) probe to visualize acidosis (tumor tissue), intracellular drug and siRNA delivery, antennas for cancer photothermal therapy and apoptosis probe for monitoring response to cancer therapy. Thus, stimuli-responsive PEGylated nanogels can be utilized as smart nanomedicines for cancer diagnostics and therapy.

Keywords::

• apoptosis
• drug delivery system
• gold nanoparticles
• magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging
• siRNA
• stimuli-responsive nanogel

Financial & competing interest disclosure

This work was partially supported by a Grant-in Aid for Scientific Research (A) (#1800033) and the World Premier International Research Center Initiative Program from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank to Alexander V Kabanov (University of Nebraska Medical Center), Tatiana K Bronich (University of Nebraska Medical Center), Michael D Boska (University of Nebraska Medical Center), Kiyoto Matsuishi (University of Tsukuba), Yuuta Jinji (University of Tsukuba), Hisato Hayashi (University of Tsukuba), Atsushi Tamura (University of Tsukuba), Shogo Sumitani (University of Tsukuba) and Takahito Nakamura (University of Tsukuba) for technical support of these studies.

Additional information

Funding

This work was partially supported by a Grant-in Aid for Scientific Research (A) (#1800033) and the World Premier International Research Center Initiative Program from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.