A ROS-Sensitive Diselenide-Crosslinked Polymeric Nanogel for NIR Controlled Release

Here we report a novel polymeric nanogel with stable loading cargo and near-infrared (NIR) controlled release properties. The nanogels are crosslinked by quaternization reactions of biocompatible poly(beta-amino esters) and diselenide-bonded crosslinker (DSeDCl) in microemulsions. The hydrophobic cavities of the nanogels have the property of stably encapsulating the hydrophobic guest molecules, resulted from the crosslinked network structure. Due to the redox responsiveness of the diselenide bonds on the DSeDCl crosslinker, the nanogels can respond to oxidant H2O2 causing the disintegration of the crosslinked network structure, thus the encapsulated guest cargo molecules will be released. It is noted that, upon loading the photosensitizer IR780, the nanogels can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) under NIR irradiation to release the cargo. The advantages of encapsulated cargo stability enhanced by chemical cross-linking and remote stimulation response performance via NIR offer great potential of nanogels for applications of cargo controlled release.

Automated summary

This study reports a novel polymeric nanogel that can stably load cargo and release it under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. The nanogels are formed through crosslinking reactions in microemulsions and have the ability to stably encapsulate hydrophobic guest molecules. They can respond to an oxidant, causing the disintegration of the crosslinked structure and releasing the cargo. Additionally, the nanogels can generate reactive oxygen species under NIR irradiation to release the cargo.