Reactive Self-Assembly and Specific Cellular Delivery of NCO-sP(EO-stat-PO)-Derived Nanogels

Macromol Biosci. 2018 Oct;18(10):e1800094. doi: 10.1002/mabi.201800094. Epub 2018 Jul 4.

Abstract

This study presents the reactive self-assembly of isocyanate functional and amphiphilic six-arm, star-shaped polyether prepolymers in water into nanogels. Intrinsic molecular amphiphilicity, mainly driven by the isophorone moiety at the distal endings of the star-shaped molecules, allows for the preparation of spherical particles with an adjustable size of 100-200 nm by self-assembly and subsequent covalent cross-linking without the need for organic solvents or surfactants. Covalent attachment of a fluorescence dye and either the cell-penetrating TAT peptide or a random control peptide sequence shows that only TAT-labeled nanogels are internalized by HeLa cells. The nanogels thus specifically enter the cells and accumulate in the perinuclear area in a time- and concentration-dependent manner.

Keywords: cellular entry; nanogels; reactive self-assembly.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods*
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
  • Fluorescent Dyes / pharmacokinetics
  • Fluorescent Dyes / pharmacology
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry
  • Polyethylene Glycols / pharmacokinetics
  • Polyethylene Glycols / pharmacology
  • Polyethyleneimine* / chemistry
  • Polyethyleneimine* / pharmacokinetics
  • Polyethyleneimine* / pharmacology

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Polyethyleneimine