Enzyme-responsive polysaccharide supramolecular nanoassembly for enhanced DNA encapsulation and controlled release

An enzyme-responsive polysaccharide supramolecular targeted nanoassembly was successfully constructed by the host-guest complexation of positively charged mono-(6-(tetraethylenepentamine)-6-deoxy)-beta-cyclodextrin (TEPA-CD) with adamantane-grafted hyaluronic acid (HA-ADA). Possessing a series of positively charged polyamine chains, the obtained polysaccharide nanoassembly could serve as a biocompatible plasmid DNA (pDNA) container. More interestingly, the pDNA could be released from the nanoassembly through the enzymatic degradation of HA skeleton, which realized the controlled pDNA binding and release. Besides, the polysaccharide nanoassembly exhibited lower cytotoxicity than the commercial transfection reagents 25 kDa bPEI (PEI25k), accompanied by similar gene delivery effect. We believe that this work might present a convenient method for targeted, controlled gene delivery. (C) 2021 Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

An enzyme-responsive polysaccharide supramolecular targeted nanoassembly was successfully constructed for controlled gene delivery, with lower cytotoxicity and similar gene delivery effect compared to commercial transfection reagents.