Minimalism in Radiation Synthesis of Biomedical Functional Nanogels

• Published in: Biomacromolecules 2012-06, Vol.13 (6), p.1805-1817
• Main Authors: Dispenza, Clelia, Sabatino, Maria Antonietta, Grimaldi, Natascia, Bulone, Donatella, Bondì, Maria Luisa, Casaletto, Maria Pia, Rigogliuso, Salvatrice, Adamo, Giorgia, Ghersi, Giulio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Applied sciences; Biocompatible Materials - chemical synthesis; Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Cells, Cultured; Electrons; Exact sciences and technology; Gels - chemical synthesis; Gels - chemistry; Grafting and modifications; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Particle Size; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymers and radiations; Surface Properties
• ISSN: 1525-7797; 1526-4602
• DOI: 10.1021/bm3003144

A scalable, single-step, synthetic approach for the manufacture of biocompatible, functionalized micro- and nanogels is presented. In particular, poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone)-grafted-(aminopropyl)methacrylamide microgels and nanogels were generated through e-beam irradiation of PVP aqueous solutions in the presence of a primary amino-group-carrying monomer. Particles with different hydrodynamic diameters and surface charge densities were obtained at the variance of the irradiation conditions. Chemical structure was investigated by different spectroscopic techniques. Fluorescent variants were generated through fluorescein isothiocyanate attachment to the primary amino groups grafted to PVP, to both quantify the available functional groups for bioconjugation and follow nanogels localization in cell cultures. Finally, a model protein, bovine serum albumin, was conjugated to the nanogels to demonstrate the attachment of biologically relevant molecules for targeting purposes in drug delivery. The described approach provides a novel strategy to fabricate biohybrid nanogels with a very promising potential in nanomedicine.