Stimuli-triggered growth and removal of a bioreducible nanoshell on nanoparticles.
A new and easy method of stimuli-triggered growth and removal of a bioreducible nanoshell on nanoparticles is reported. The results show that pH or temperature could induce the aggregation of disulfide-contained branched polymers at the surface of nanoparticles; subsequently, the aggregated polymers could undergo intermolecular disulfide exchange to cross-link the aggregated polymers, forming a bioreducible polymer shell around nanoparticles. When these nanoparticles with a polymer shell are treated with glutathione (GSH) or d,l-dithiothreitol (DTT), the polymer shell could be easily removed from the nanoparticles. The potential application of this method is demonstrated by easily growing and removing a bioreducible shell from liposomes, and improvement of in vivo gene transfection activity of liposomes with a bioreducible PEG shell.
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, P. R. China.
Li-Fen
LF
Han
Qian-Bao
QB
Chen
Zong-Tao
ZT
Hu
Jia-Gang
JG
Piao
Chun-Yan
CY
Hong
Jun-Jie
JJ
Yan
Ye-Zi
YZ
You
D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D057145:Nanoshells / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
D011108:Polymers
bioreducible nanoshell; branched polymer; nano­particle; pH-responsive; temperature-responsive