Polyethylenimine-Based Nanogels for Biomedical Applications

Macromol Biosci. 2019 Nov;19(11):e1900272. doi: 10.1002/mabi.201900272. Epub 2019 Sep 18.

Abstract

Nanogels (NGs) are 3-dimensional (3D) networks composed of hydrophilic or amphiphilic polymer chains, allowing for effective and homogeneous encapsulation of drugs, genes, or imaging agents for biomedical applications. Polyethylenimine (PEI), possessing abundant positively charged amine groups, is an ideal platform for the development of NGs. A variety of effective PEI-based NGs have been designed and much effort has been devoted to study the relationship between the structure and function of the NGs. In particular, PEI-based NGs can be prepared either using PEI as the major NG component or using PEI as a crosslinker. This review reports the recent progresses in the design of PEI-based NGs for gene and drug delivery and for bioimaging applications with a target focus to tackle the diagnosis and therapy of cancer.

Keywords: bioimaging; drug delivery; gene delivery; nanogels; polyethylenimine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomedical Technology / methods
  • Biomedical Technology / trends
  • Drug Carriers* / chemistry
  • Drug Carriers* / therapeutic use
  • Drug Delivery Systems* / methods
  • Gene Transfer Techniques*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Imaging / methods
  • Molecular Imaging / trends
  • Nanogels / chemistry*
  • Nanogels / therapeutic use
  • Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Neoplasms / therapy
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry
  • Polyethyleneimine / chemistry*
  • Polyethyleneimine / therapeutic use
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Polymers / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Drug Carriers
  • Nanogels
  • Polymers
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Polyethyleneimine