Multi‐Responsive Biodegradable Cationic Nanogels for Highly Efficient Treatment of Tumors

Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 31

Abstract

Abstract The facile preparation, modular design, and multi‐responsiveness are extremely critical for developing pervasive nanoplatforms to meet heterogeneous applications. Here, cationic nanogels (NGs) are modularly engineered with tunable responsiveness, versatility, and biodegradation. Cationic PVCL‐based NGs with core/shell structure are fabricated by facile one‐step synthesis. The formed PVCL‐NH2 NGs exhibit uniform size, thermal/pH dual‐responsive behaviors, and redox‐triggered degradation. Moreover, the NGs can be employed to modify or/and load with various functional agents to construct multipurpose nanoplatforms in a modular manner. Notably, the novel hybrid structure with copper sulfide (CuS) NPs loaded in the NGs shell is prepared, which leads to higher photothermal conversion efficiency (31.1%) than other CuS randomly loaded NGs reported. By personalized tailoring, these functionalized NGs display fluorescent property, r1 relaxivity, strong near‐infrared (NIR) absorption, good biocompatibility, and targeting specificity. The superior photothermal effect of hybrid NGs (CuS@NGs‐LA) is presented under NIR II over NIR I. Importantly, hybrid NGs encapsulated doxorubicin (CuS@NGs‐LA/DOX) show endogenous pH/redox and exogenous NIR multi‐triggered drug release for efficient photothermal‐chemotherapy, which can completely eliminate advanced tumors and effectively inhibit recurrence. Overall, the pervasive nanoplatforms based on intelligent cationic NGs with tunable responsiveness, versatility, and biodegradation are developed by engineered modular strategy for precision medicine applications.

Authors 7

1. Xin Li Aachen Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry DWI-Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials e.V

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI‐Leibniz‐Institute for Interactive Materials e.V. Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany

   Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry RWTH Aachen University Worringerweg 2 52074 Aachen Germany

   DWI-Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials e.V., Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52056 Aachen, Germany

   Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany

2. Haitao Sun

   Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University · Fudan University · Zhongshan Hospital

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Interventional Radiology Zhongshan Hospital Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging Fudan University 180 Fenglin Road Shanghai 200032 P. R. China

   Department of Interventional Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Medical Imaging, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032 P. R. China

3. Helin Li Aachen Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry DWI-Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials e.V

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI‐Leibniz‐Institute for Interactive Materials e.V. Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany

   Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry RWTH Aachen University Worringerweg 2 52074 Aachen Germany

   DWI-Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials e.V., Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52056 Aachen, Germany

   Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany

4. Chaolei Hu Aachen Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry DWI-Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials e.V

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI‐Leibniz‐Institute for Interactive Materials e.V. Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany

   Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry RWTH Aachen University Worringerweg 2 52074 Aachen Germany

   DWI-Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials e.V., Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52056 Aachen, Germany

   Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany

5. Yu Luo corresponding

   Tongji University

   Affiliation as printed

   School of Chemical Science and Engineering Tongji University 1239 Siping Road Shanghai 200092 P. R. China

   School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092 P. R. China

6. Xiangyang Shi corresponding

   Donghua University · Centro de Química da Madeira · Universidade da Madeira

   Affiliation as printed

   CQM‐Centro de Química da Madeira Campus da Penteada Universidade da Madeira Funchal 9000–390 Portugal

   College of Chemistry Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Donghua University 2999 North Renmin Road Shanghai 201620 P. R. China

   College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, 2999 North Renmin Road, Shanghai, 201620 P. R. China

7. Andrij Pich corresponding Aachen Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry DWI-Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials e.V

   Maastricht University · DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Aachen Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials Maastricht University Geleen 6167 RD Netherlands

   DWI‐Leibniz‐Institute for Interactive Materials e.V. Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany

   Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry RWTH Aachen University Worringerweg 2 52074 Aachen Germany

   Aachen Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials, Maastricht University, Geleen, 6167 RD Netherlands

   DWI-Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials e.V., Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52056 Aachen, Germany

   Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany