A Novel Acid‐Degradable PEG Crosslinker for the Fabrication of pH‐Responsive Soft Materials. Issue 12 (22nd March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Myrgorodska, Iuliia; Jenkinson‐Finch, Mary; Moreno‐Tortolero, Rafael O.; Mann, Stephen; Gobbo, Pierangelo
• Is Part Of: Macromolecular rapid communications. Volume 42:Issue 12(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-03-22
• Subjects: crosslinking -- hydrogels -- pH‐mediated disassembly -- proteinosomes; Macromolecules -- Periodicals; Polymers -- Periodicals; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 547.705
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.202100102
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1022-1336

Abstract

Abstract: The design and synthesis of a novel acid‐degradable polyethylene glycol‐based N ‐hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester‐activated crosslinker is reported. The crosslinker is reactive towards nucleophiles and features a central ketal functional group that is stable at pH > 7.5 and rapidly hydrolyses at pH > 6.0. The crosslinker is used to (i) fabricate acid‐degradable polysaccharide hydrogels that exhibit controlled degradation upon exposure to an acidic environment or via endogenous enzyme activity; and (ii) construct hydrogel‐filled protein‐polymer microcompartments (termed proteinosomes ) capable of pH‐dependent membrane disassembly. Taken together the results provide new opportunities for the fabrication of pH‐responsive soft materials with potential applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and soft‐matter bioengineering. Abstract : A novel acid‐degradable N ‐hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester‐activated crosslinker that is stable at pH > 7.5 and rapidly hydrolyses at pH < 6.0 is synthesized and used to fabricate polysaccharide hydrogels that exhibit controlled degradation upon exposure to an acidic environment or via endogenous enzyme activity. The same crosslinker is also used to construct hydrogel‐filled protein‐polymer microcompartments ( proteinosomes ) capable of pH‐dependent membrane disassembly.