title: Stimuli-responsive smart nanogels for cancer diagnostics and therapy.
abstract: This article discusses stimuli-responsive poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-coated (PEGylated) nanogels and their biomedical applications. Preparation and characterization of stimuli-responsive PEGylated nanogels composed of a crosslinked poly(2-[N,N-diethylamino]ethyl methacrylate) (PEAMA) core and PEG tethered chains are initially described. Stimuli-responsive PEGylated nanogels show unique properties and functions in synchronizing with the reversible volume phase transition of the PEAMA core in response to the extracellular pH (7-6.5) of a tumor environment as well as endosomal/lysosomal pH (6.5-5.0) and temperature. We list several biomedical applications of stimuli-responsive PEGylated nanogels, including (19)F magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRS/I) probe to visualize acidosis (tumor tissue), intracellular drug and siRNA delivery, antennas for cancer photothermal therapy and apoptosis probe for monitoring response to cancer therapy. Thus, stimuli-responsive PEGylated nanogels can be utilized as smart nanomedicines for cancer diagnostics and therapy.
authors.affiliation: Tsukuba Interdisciplinary Materials Science (TIMS), University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573, Japan.
authors.forename: Motoi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oishi
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagasaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D000080385:Nanogels; D050997:Nanomedicine / Q000379:methods*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011094:Polyethyleneimine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000080385:Nanogels; C413692:polyethylene glycol polyethyleneimine nanogel; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011094:Polyethyleneimine