Design of hybrid hydrogels with self-assembled nanogels as cross-linkers: interaction with proteins and chaperone-like activity.
New hybrid hydrogels with nanogel domains were obtained by using polymerizable self-assembled nanogels as cross-linkers. Methacryloyl groups were introduced to cholesteryl group-bearing pullulan (CHP). The methacryloyl group-bearing CHPs (CHPMAs) formed nanogels by their self-association in water (R(g) = 14-17 nm). CHPMA nanogels were polymerized with 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) by radical polymerization in a semidilute aqueous solution. CHPMA nanogels acted as effective cross-linkers for gelation. TEM observation showed that the nanogel structure was retained after gelation and that the nanogels were well dispersed in the macrogel. The hybrid hydrogels showed two well-defined networks such as a nanogel intranetwork structure of less than 10 nm (physically cross-linking) and an internetwork structure of several hundred nanometers (chemically cross-linking). The immobilized nanogels retained their ability to trap and release protein (insulin was used as a model protein) by host-guest interaction of the cholesteryl group and cyclodextrin and also showed high chaperone-like activity for refolding of chemically denatured protein.
Morimoto
Nobuyuki
N
Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-3-10, Kanda-surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan.
Endo
Takao
T
Iwasaki
Yasuhiko
Y
Akiyoshi
Kazunari
K
D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry*; D020100:Hydrogels; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D017510:Protein Folding; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*
D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D020100:Hydrogels; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D011506:Proteins