Synthesis of Stimuli-responsive Nanogels using Aqueous One-step Crosslinking and Co-nanopolymerization

Nanogels consisting of crosslinked-polymeric nanoparticles have been developed for the delivery of numerous chemical and biological therapeutics, owing to their versatile bottom-up synthesis and biocompatibility. While various methods have been employed for nanogel synthesis to date, very few have achieved it without the use of harsh organic solvents or high temperatures that can damage the integrity of the biological payload. In contrast, the methodology presented here accomplishes the synthesis of sub-100 nm sized, protein-loaded nanogels using mild reaction conditions. Here, we present a method for the non-covalent encapsulation of protein-based payloads within nano-gels that were synthesized using an aqueous-based, single-step, crosslinking copolymerization technique. In this technique, we initially electrostatically bind a protein-based payload to a cationic quaternary ammonium monomer and simultaneously cross-link and co-polymerize it using ammonium persulfate and N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine to form nanogels that entrap the protein payload. The size and polydispersity index of the nanogels is determined using dynamic light scattering (DLS), while the surface morphology is assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mass of protein entrapped within nanogels is determined by calculating the encapsulation efficiency. Furthermore, the controlled-release ability of the nanogels via the gradual degradation of redox-responsive structural elements is also assessed in bioreduction assays. We provide examples of nanoparticle optimization data to demonstrate all caveats of nanogel synthesis and characterization using this technique. In general, uniformly sized nanogels were obtained with an average size of 57 nm and a polydispersity index value of 0.093. A high encapsulation efficiency of 76% was achieved. Furthermore, the nanogels exhibited controlled release of up to 86% of the encapsulated protein by gradual degradation of novel redox-responsive components in the presence of glutathione over 48 h.