Synthesis and Biodegradation of Nanogels as Delivery Carriers for Carbohydrate Drugs

Abstract

Biodegradable nanogels loaded with rhodamine B isothiocyanate−dextran (RITC−Dx) as a model for water-soluble biomacromolecular drugs were prepared using atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) in a cyclohexane inverse miniemulsion in the presence of a disulfide-functionalized dimethacrylate cross linker. UV−vis spectroscopy was used to characterize the extent of incorporation of RITC−Dx into the nanogels. The loading efficiency of RITC−Dx into the nanogels exceeded 80%. These nanogels were degraded into polymeric sols in a reducing environment to release the encapsulated carbohydrate drugs. The released carbohydrate biomolecules specifically interacted with concanavalin A in water, suggesting that the biodegradable nanogels could be used as carriers to deliver carbohydrate drugs that can be released upon degradation to bind to pathogens based on lectins.