Stimulus-Responsive Nanoconjugates Derived from Phytoglycogen Nanoparticles

Plant-derived phytoglycogen nanoparticles (PhGNPs) have the advantages of size uniformity, dispersibility in water,excellent lubrication properties, and lack of cytotoxicity; however,their chemical functionalization may lead to loss of NP structuralintegrity. Here, we report a straightforward approach to thegeneration of PhG NP conjugates with biologically activemolecules. Hydrogen bonding of bovine serum albumin withelectroneutral PhG NPs endows them with additional ligandbinding affinity and enables the electrostatically governed attach-ment of methotrexate (MTX), a therapeutic agent commonly usedin the treatment of cancer and arthritis diseases, to the protein-capped NPs. We showed stimuli-responsive release of MTX from thePhG-based nanoconjugates under physiological cues such as temperature and ionic strength. The results of this study stimulatefuture exploration of biomedical applications of nanoconjugates of PhG NPs

Automated summary

In this study, a straightforward approach to generate PhG NP conjugates with biologically active molecules was reported, providing a new type of nanomaterial for biomedical applications.