Design of asymmetric particles containing a charged interior and a neutral surface charge: comparative study on in vivo circulation of polyelectrolyte microgels

Annealing High Aspect Ratio Microgels into Macroporous 3D Scaffolds Allows for Higher Porosities and Effective Cell Migration

Growing millimeter-scaled functional tissue remains a major challenge in the field of tissue engineering. Therefore, microporous annealed particles (MAPs) are emerging as promising porous biomaterials that are formed by assembly of microgel building blocks. To further vary the pore size and increase overall MAP porosity of mechanically stable scaffolds, rod-shaped microgels with high aspect ratios up to 20 are chemically interlinked into highly porous scaffolds. Polyethylene glycol based microgels (width 10 µm, lengths up to 200 µm) are produced via in-mold polymerization and covalently interlinked into stable 3D scaffolds via epoxy-amine chemistry. For the first time, MAP porosities can be enhanced by increasing the microgel aspect ratio (mean pore sizes ranging from 39 to 82 µm, porosities from 65 to 90%). These porosities are significantly higher compared to constructs made from spherical or lower aspect ratio rod-shaped microgels. Rapid filling of the pores by either murine or primary human fibroblasts is ensured as cells migrate and grow extensively into these scaffolds. Overall, this study demonstrates that highly porous, stable macroporous hydrogels can be achieved with a very low partial volume of synthetic, high aspect ratio microgels, leading to large empty volumes available for cell ingrowth and cell-cell interactions.

PEGylated Strontium Sulfite Nanoparticles with Spontaneously Formed Surface-Embedded Protein Corona Restrict Off-Target Distribution and Accelerate Breast Tumour-Selective Delivery of siRNA

As transporters of RNAi therapeutics in preclinical and clinical studies, the application of nanoparticles is often hindered by their susceptibility to opsonin-mediated clearance, poor biological stability, ineffectual targeting, and undesirable effects on healthy cells. Prolonging the blood circulation time while minimizing the off-target distribution and associated toxicity is indispensable for the establishment of a clinically viable delivery system for therapeutic small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Herein, we report a scalable and straightforward approach to fabricate non-toxic and biodegradable pH-responsive strontium sulfite nanoparticles (SSNs) wrapped with a hydrophilic coating material, biotinylated PEG to lessen unforeseen biological interactions. Surface functionalization of SSNs with PEG led to the generation of small and uniformly distributed particles with a significant affinity towards siRNAs and augmented internalization into breast cancer cells. A triple quadrupole liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was deployed to identify the proteins entrapped onto the SSNs, with the help of SwissProt.Mus_musculus database. The results demonstrated the reduction of opsonin proteins adsorption owing to the stealth effect of PEG. The distribution of PEGylated SSNs in mice after 4 h and 24 h of intravenous administration in breast tumour-bearing mice was found to be significantly less to the organs of the reticuloendothelial system (RES) and augmented accumulation in the tumour region. The anti-EGFR siRNA-loaded PEG-SSNs exerted a significant inhibitory effect on tumour development in the murine breast cancer model without any significant toxicity to healthy tissues. Therefore, PEGylated SSNs open up a new avenue for tumour-selective efficient delivery of siRNAs in managing breast cancer.

Recent Advances in Microgels: From Biomolecules to Functionality

The emerging applications of hydrogel materials at different length scales, in areas ranging from sustainability to health, have driven the progress in the design and manufacturing of microgels. Microgels can provide miniaturized, monodisperse, and regulatable compartments, which can be spatially separated or interconnected. These microscopic materials provide novel opportunities for generating biomimetic cell culture environments and are thus key to the advances of modern biomedical research. The evolution of the physical and chemical properties has, furthermore, highlighted the potentials of microgels in the context of materials science and bioengineering. This review describes the recent research progress in the fabrication, characterization, and applications of microgels generated from biomolecular building blocks. A key enabling technology allowing the tailoring of the properties of microgels is their synthesis through microfluidic technologies, and this paper highlights recent advances in these areas and their impact on expanding the physicochemical parameter space accessible using microgels. This review finally discusses the emerging roles that microgels play in liquid-liquid phase separation, micromechanics, biosensors, and regenerative medicine.

Highly swelling pH-responsive microgels for dual mode near infra-red fluorescence reporting and imaging

Near infra-red (NIR) fluorescence is a desirable property for probe particles because such deeply penetrating light enables remote reporting of the local environment in complex surroundings and imaging. Here, two NIR non-radiative energy transfer (NRET) fluorophores (Cy5 and Cy5.5) are coupled to preformed pH-responsive poly(ethylacrylate-methacrylic acid-divinylbenzene) microgel particles (PEA-MAA-5/5.5 MGs) to obtain new NIR fluorescent probes that are cytocompatible and swell strongly. NIR ratiometric photoluminescence (PL) intensity analysis enables reporting of pH-triggered PEA-MAA-5/5.5 MG particle swelling ratios over a very wide range (from 1-90). The dispersions have greatly improved colloidal stability compared to a reference temperature-responsive NIR MG based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNP-5/5.5). We also show that the wavelength of maximum PL intensity (λ _max) is a second PL parameter that enables remote reporting of swelling for both PEA-MAA-5/5.5 and PNP-5/5.5 MGs. After internalization the PEA-MAA-5/5.5 MGs are successfully imaged in stem cells using NIR light. They are also imaged after subcutaneous injection into model tissue using NIR light. The new NIR PEA-MAA-5/5.5 MGs have excellent potential for reporting their swelling states (and any changes) within physiological settings as well as very high ionic strength environments (e.g., waste water).

Nonspherical Nanoparticle Shape Stability Is Affected by Complex Manufacturing Aspects: Its Implications for Drug Delivery and Targeting

The shape of nanoparticles is known recently as an important design parameter influencing considerably the fate of nanoparticles with and in biological systems. Several manufacturing techniques to generate nonspherical nanoparticles as well as studies on in vitro and in vivo effects thereof have been described. However, nonspherical nanoparticle shape stability in physiological-related conditions and the impact of formulation parameters on nonspherical nanoparticle resistance still need to be investigated. To address these issues, different nanoparticle fabrication methods using biodegradable polymers are explored to produce nonspherical nanoparticles via the prevailing film-stretching method. In addition, systematic comparisons to other nanoparticle systems prepared by different manufacturing techniques and less biodegradable materials (but still commonly utilized for drug delivery and targeting) are conducted. The study evinces that the strong interplay from multiple nanoparticle properties (i.e., internal structure, Young's modulus, surface roughness, liquefaction temperature [glass transition (T_g ) or melting (T_m )], porosity, and surface hydrophobicity) is present. It is not possible to predict the nonsphericity longevity by merely one or two factor(s). The most influential features in preserving the nonsphericity of nanoparticles are existence of internal structure and low surface hydrophobicity (i.e., surface-free energy (SFE) > ≈55 mN m^-1 , material-water interfacial tension <6 mN m^-1 ), especially if the nanoparticles are soft (<1 GPa), rough (R_rms > 10 nm), porous (>1 m² g^-1 ), and in possession of low bulk liquefaction temperature (<100 °C). Interestingly, low surface hydrophobicity of nanoparticles can be obtained indirectly by the significant presence of residual stabilizers. Therefore, it is strongly suggested that nonsphericity of particle systems is highly dependent on surface chemistry but cannot be appraised separately from other factors. These results and reviews allot valuable guidelines for the design and manufacturing of nonspherical nanoparticles having adequate shape stability, thereby appropriate with their usage purposes. Furthermore, they can assist in understanding and explaining the possible mechanisms of nonspherical nanoparticles effectivity loss and distinctive material behavior at the nanoscale.

Red blood cells as an efficient in vitro model for evaluating the efficacy of metallic nanoparticles

Blood and the linings of blood vessels may be regarded as a fifth tissue type. The human body contains 5 × 10⁹ red blood cells (RBCs) per ml, a total of 2.5 × 10¹³ cells in the 5 l of blood present in the body. With an average lifetime of 125 days, human RBCs are destroyed by leukocytes in the spleen and liver. Nowadays red blood cells are extensively used to study various metabolic functions. Nanoparticles (NP) are being widely accepted for drug delivery system. This review summarizes the red blood cells, NPs and their characteristics on the basis of the RBC components along with drug delivery systems through RBCs. Further, we also discussed that how erythrocytes can be used as an efficient in vitro model for evaluating the efficacy of various nanocomposite materials.

Effective systemic siRNA delivery using dual-layer protected long-circulating nanohydrogel containing an inorganic core

PEG-dex-dopa nanohydrogel containing a CaP/siRNA core could achieve extended circulation with reduced RES accumulation, resulting in increased tumor accumulation.

A novel smart PEGylated gelatin nanoparticle for co-delivery of doxorubicin and betanin: A strategy for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy

Betanin (BET) can reduce the side effects of potent anticancer drugs e.g. doxorubicin (DOX) on the normal tissues in co-administration with them because of the synergistic therapeutic effect and consequently the reduced required amount of anticancer agents. Despite interest in the use of BET, incomplete oral absorption and low stability of BET limit its application. Thus, in this study to overcome the restrictions of BET and providing the synergistic effect of DOX@BET, we designed a new pH-responsive nanocarrier via decoration of gelatin nanoparticles (GNPs) by (methoxy poly (ethylene glycol)-poly ((2-dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate-co-itaconic acid) (PGNPs). DOX and BET were effectively loaded (the loading capacity of 20.5% and 16.25%, respectively) into the PGNPs and this nanoplatform exhibited the suitable small particle size (162 nm). Additionally, the triggered release ability of drugs was studied through the assessment of simulated physiological and tumor tissue environments and showed the controlled release of DOX and BET with adjusting the pH of environment. Moreover, the synergistic effect of DOX@BET loaded PGNPs decreased the cell viability amount of breast cancer cells (MCF-7) respect to the free form of DOX or BET which indicated that the developed smart nanocarrier will be a hopeful nanocarrier for cancer therapy.

Intravital microscopy in the study of the tumor microenvironment: from bench to human application

Intravital microscopy (IVM) is a dynamic imaging modality that allows for the real time observation of biologic processes in vivo, including angiogenesis and immune cell interactions. In the setting of preclinical cancer models, IVM has facilitated an understanding of the tumor associated vasculature and the role of effector immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Novel approaches to apply IVM to human malignancies have thus far focused on cancer diagnosis and tumor vessel characterization, but have the potential to provide advances in the field of personalized medicine by identifying individual patients who may respond to systemically delivered chemotherapeutic drugs or immunotherapeutic agents. In this review, we highlight the role that IVM has had in investigating tumor vasculature and the tumor microenvironment in preclinical studies and discuss its current and future applications to directly observe human tumors.

Oncolytic Adenovirus Complexes Coated with Lipids and Calcium Phosphate for Cancer Gene Therapy

Oncolytic adenovirus (Onco^Ad) is a promising therapeutic agent for treating cancer. However, the therapeutic potential of Onco^Ad is hindered by hepatic sequestration and the host immune response in vivo. Here, we constructed a PEG/Lipids/calcium phosphate (CaP)-Onco^Ad (PLC-Onco^Ad) delivery system for ZD55-IL-24, an oncolytic adenovirus that carries the IL-24 gene. The negatively charged PLC-ZD55-IL-24 were disperse and resisted serum-induced aggregation. Compared to naked ZD55-IL-24, the systemic administration of PLC-ZD55-IL-24 in BALB/c mice resulted in reduced liver sequestration and systemic toxicity and evaded the innate immune response. In addition, masking the surface of Onco^Ad protected it from neutralization by pre-existing neutralizing antibody. PLC-Onco^Ad achieved efficient targeted delivery in Huh-7-bearing nude mice, and intravenous administration of a high dose of PLC-ZD55-IL-24 increased therapeutic efficacy without inducing toxicity. The developed PLC-Onco^Ad delivery system represents a promising improvement for oncolytic adenovirus-based cancer gene therapy in vivo.

Red blood cells: Supercarriers for drugs, biologicals, and nanoparticles and inspiration for advanced delivery systems

Red blood cells (RBCs) constitute a unique drug delivery system as a biologic or hybrid carrier capable of greatly enhancing pharmacokinetics, altering pharmacodynamics (for example, by changing margination within the intravascular space), and modulating immune responses to appended cargoes. Strategies for RBC drug delivery systems include internal and surface loading, and the latter can be performed both ex vivo and in vivo. A relatively new avenue for RBC drug delivery is their application as a carrier for nanoparticles. Efforts are also being made to incorporate features of RBCs in nanocarriers to mimic their most useful aspects, such as long circulation and stealth features. RBCs have also recently been explored as carriers for the delivery of antigens for modulation of immune response. Therefore, RBC-based drug delivery systems represent supercarriers for a diverse array of biomedical interventions, and this is reflected by several industrial and academic efforts that are poised to enter the clinical realm.

Nanogels: An overview of properties, biomedical applications and obstacles to clinical translation

Nanogels have emerged as a versatile hydrophilic platform for encapsulation of guest molecules with a capability to respond to external stimuli that can be used for a multitude of applications. These are soft materials capable of holding small molecular therapeutics, biomacromolecules, and inorganic nanoparticles within their crosslinked networks, which allows them to find applications for therapy as well as imaging of a variety of disease conditions. Their stimuli-responsive behavior can be easily controlled by selection of constituent polymer and crosslinker components to achieve a desired response at the site of action, which imparts nanogels the ability to participate actively in the intended function of the carrier system rather than being passive carriers of their cargo. These properties not only enhance the functionality of the carrier system but also help in overcoming many of the challenges associated with the delivery of cargo molecules, and this review aims to highlight the distinct and unique capabilities of nanogels as carrier systems for the delivery of an array of cargo molecules over other nanomaterials. Despite their obvious usefulness, nanogels are still not a commonplace occurrence in clinical practice. We have also made an attempt to highlight some of the major challenges that need to be overcome to advance nanogels further in the field of biomedical applications.

Integrated fabrication-conjugation methods for polymeric and hybrid microparticles for programmable drug delivery and biosensing applications

Functionalized polymeric microparticles possess significant potential for controlled drug delivery and biosensing applications, yet current fabrication techniques face challenges in simple and scalable fabrication and biofunctionalization. For programmable manufacture of biofunctional microparticles in a simple manner, we have developed robust micromolding methods combined with biopolymeric conjugation handles and bioorthogonal click reactions. In this focused minireview, we present detailed methods for our integrated approaches for fabrication of microparticles with controlled 2D and 3D shapes and dimensions toward controlled release, and for biomacromolecular conjugation via strain promoted alkyne-azide cycloaddition (SPAAC) and tetrazine-trans-cyclooctene (Tz-TCO) ligation reactions utilizing a potent aminopolysaccharide chitosan as an efficient conjugation handle. We believe that the fabrication-conjugation methods reported here from a range of our recent reports illustrate the simple, robust and readily reproducible nature of our approaches to creating multifaceted microparticles in a programmable, cost-efficient and scalable manner toward a wide range of medical and biotechnological application areas.

Investigation of Changes in the Microscopic Structure of Anionic Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-Acrylic acid) Microgels in the Presence of Cationic Organic Dyes toward Precisely Controlled Uptake/Release of Low-Molecular-Weight Chemical Compound

Changes in a microscopic structure of an anionic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) microgel were investigated using small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SWAXS). The scattering profiles of the microgels were analyzed in a wide scattering vector (q) range of 0.07 ≤ q/nm(-1) ≤ 20. In particular, the microscopic structure of the microgel in the presence of a cationic dye rhodamine 6G (R6G) was characterized in terms of its correlation length (ξ), which represents the length scale of the spatial correlation of the network density fluctuations, and characteristic distance (d*), which originated from the local packing of isopropyl groups of two neighboring chains. In the presence of cationic R6G, ξ exhibited a divergent-like behavior, which was not seen in the absence of R6G, and d* was decreased with decreasing the volume of the microgel upon increasing temperature. At the same time, the amount of R6G adsorbed per unit mass of the microgel increased upon heating. These results suggested that a coil-to-globule transition of the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) chains in the present anionic microgel occurred because of efficiently screened, thus, short ranged electrostatic repulsion between the charged groups, and hydrophobic interaction between the isopropyl groups in the presence of cationic R6G. The combination of hydrophobic and electrostatic interaction between the cationic dye and the microgel affected the separation and volume transition behavior of the microgel.

Intravital Microscopy Imaging Approaches for Image-Guided Drug Delivery Systems

Rapid technical advances in the field of non-linear microscopy have made intravital microscopy a vital pre-clinical tool for research and development of imaging-guided drug delivery systems. The ability to dynamically monitor the fate of macromolecules in live animals provides invaluable information regarding properties of drug carriers (size, charge, and surface coating), physiological, and pathological processes that exist between point-of-injection and the projected of site of delivery, all of which influence delivery and effectiveness of drug delivery systems. In this Review, we highlight how integrating intravital microscopy imaging with experimental designs (in vitro analyses and mathematical modeling) can provide unique information critical in the design of novel disease-relevant drug delivery platforms with improved diagnostic and therapeutic indexes. The Review will provide the reader an overview of the various applications for which intravital microscopy has been used to monitor the delivery of diagnostic and therapeutic agents and discuss some of their potential clinical applications.

Fluoridated hydroxyapatite: Eu(3+) nanorods-loaded folate-conjugated D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (vitamin E TPGS) micelles for targeted imaging of cancer cells

In this study, fluoridated hydroxyapatite: Eu(3+) nanorod-loaded folate-conjugated TPGS micelles were prepared by thin-film hydration. The findings in this study demonstrate that micelles show improved dispersion, high stability, and excellent fluorescent property in aqueous solutions, suitable for targeted imaging of cancer cells with over-expressing folate receptors on their surface. The micelles designed in this study will be a promising tool for early detection of cancer.

Stimuli-Responsive Codelivery of Oligonucleotides and Drugs by Self-Assembled Peptide Nanoparticles

Ever more emerging combined treatments exploiting synergistic effects of drug combinations demand smart, responsive codelivery carriers to reveal their full potential. In this study, a multifunctional stimuli-responsive amphiphilic peptide was designed and synthesized to self-assemble into nanoparticles capable of co-bearing and -releasing hydrophobic drugs and antisense oligonucleotides for combined therapies. The rational design was based on a hydrophobic l-tryptophan-d-leucine repeating unit derived from a truncated sequence of gramicidin A (gT), to entrap hydrophobic cargo, which is combined with a hydrophilic moiety of histidines to provide electrostatic affinity to nucleotides. Stimuli-responsiveness was implemented by linking the hydrophobic and hydrophilic sequence through an artificial amino acid bearing a disulfide functional group (H3SSgT). Stimuli-responsive peptides self-assembled in spherical nanoparticles in sizes (100-200 nm) generally considered as preferable for drug delivery applications. Responsive peptide nanoparticles revealed notable nucleotide condensing abilities while maintaining the ability to load hydrophobic cargo. The disulfide cleavage site introduced in the peptide sequence induced responsiveness to physiological concentrations of reducing agent, serving to release the incorporated molecules. Furthermore, the peptide nanoparticles, singly loaded or coloaded with boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) and/or antisense oligonucleotides, were efficiently taken up by cells. Such amphiphilic peptides that led to noncytotoxic, reduction-responsive nanoparticles capable of codelivering hydrophobic and nucleic acid payloads simultaneously provide potential toward combined treatment strategies to exploit synergistic effects.

Overcoming Gene-Delivery Hurdles: Physiological Considerations for Nonviral Vectors

With the use of contemporary tools and techniques, it has become possible to more precisely tune the biochemical mechanisms associated with using nonviral vectors for gene delivery. Consequently, nonviral vectors can incorporate numerous vector compositions and types of genetic cargo to develop diverse genetic therapies. Despite these advantages, gene-delivery strategies using nonviral vectors have poorly translated into clinical success due to preclinical experimental design considerations that inadequately predict therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, the manufacturing and distribution processes are critical considerations for clinical application that should be considered when developing therapeutic platforms. In this review, we evaluate potential avenues towards improving the transition of gene-delivery technologies from in vitro assessment to human clinical therapy.

Biocompatible and colloidally stabilized mPEG-PE/calcium phosphate hybrid nanoparticles loaded with siRNAs targeting tumors

Calcium phosphate nanoparticles are safe and effective delivery vehicles for small interfering RNA (siRNA), as a result of their excellent biocompatibility. In this work, mPEG-PE (polyethylene glycol-L-α-phosphatidylethanolamine) was synthesized and used to prepare nanoparticles composed of mPEG-PE and calcium phosphate for siRNA delivery. Calcium phosphate and mPEG-PE formed the stable hybrid nanoparticles through self-assembly resulting from electrostatic interaction in water. The average size of the hybrid nanoparticles was approximately 53.2 nm with a negative charge of approximately -16.7 mV, which was confirmed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. The nanoparticles exhibited excellent stability in serum and could protect siRNA from ribonuclease (RNase) degradation. The cellular internalization of siRNA-loaded nanoparticles was evaluated in SMMC-7721 cells using a laser scanning confocal microscope (CLSM) and flow cytometry. The hybrid nanoparticles could efficiently deliver siRNA to cells compared with free siRNA. Moreover, the in vivo distribution of Cy5-siRNA-loaded hybrid nanoparticles was observed after being injected into tumor-bearing nude mice. The nanoparticles concentrated in the tumor regions through an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect based on the fluorescence intensities of tissue distribution. A safety evaluation of the nanoparticles was performed both in vitro and in vivo demonstrating that the hybrid nanoparticle delivery system had almost no toxicity. These results indicated that the mPEG-PE/CaP hybrid nanoparticles could be a stable, safe and promising siRNA nanocarrier for anticancer therapy.

Bactericidal Dendritic Polycation Cloaked with Stealth Material via Lipase-Sensitive Intersegment Acquires Neutral Surface Charge without Losing Membrane-Disruptive Activity

Net cationicity of membrane-disruptive antimicrobials is necessary for their activity but may elicit immune attack when administered intravenously. By cloaking a dendritic polycation (G2) with poly(caprolactone-b-ethylene glycol) (PCL-b-PEG), we obtain a nanoparticle antimicrobial, G2-g-(PCL-b-PEG), which exhibits neutral surface charge but kills >99.9% of inoculated bacterial cells at ≤8 μg/mL. The observed activity may be attributed PCL's responsive degradation by bacterial lipase and the consequent exposure of the membrane-disruptive, bactericidal G2 core. Moreover, G2-g-(PCL-b-PEG) exhibits good colloidal stability in the presence of serum and insignificant hemolytic toxicity even at ≥2048 μg/mL. suggesting good blood compatibility required for intravenous administration.

Versatile Method for Coating Surfaces with Functional and Responsive Polymer-Based Films

A versatile surface modification technique was developed to yield poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAm) microgel-based thin films on a variety of substrates, e.g., metals, nonmetals, and polymers. Because the chemistry, and hence functionality and responsivity, of the pNIPAm-based microgels is easily tuned, multifunctional and responsive thin films could be generated on many different surfaces without varying the coating conditions. In one case, we showed that fluorescent/light emitting thin films could be generated using crystal violet-modified microgels. Antibacterial films could be obtained using silver nanoparticle-modified pNIPAm-based microgels. Finally, we show that thin films fabricated via the methods here could be used as a component in optical sensors. Although we show only a few examples of the utility of this approach, we feel that the apparent universality of the technique can be extended to countless other applications.

Ternary polyplex micelles with PEG shells and intermediate barrier to complexed DNA cores for efficient systemic gene delivery

Simultaneous achievement of prolonged retention in blood circulation and efficient gene transfection activity in target tissues has always been a major challenge hindering in vivo applications of nonviral gene vectors via systemic administration. Herein, we constructed novel rod-shaped ternary polyplex micelles (TPMs) via complexation between the mixed block copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly{N'-[N-(2-aminoethyl)-2-aminoethyl]aspartamide} (PEG-b-PAsp(DET)) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-PAsp(DET) (PNIPAM-b-PAsp(DET)) and plasmid DNA (pDNA) at room temperature, exhibiting distinct temperature-responsive formation of a hydrophobic intermediate layer between PEG shells and pDNA cores through facile temperature increase from room temperature to body temperature (~37 °C). As compared with binary polyplex micelles of PEG-b-PAsp(DET) (BPMs), TPMs were confirmed to condense pDNA into a more compact structure, which achieved enhanced tolerability to nuclease digestion and strong counter polyanion exchange. In vitro gene transfection results demonstrated TPMs exhibiting enhanced gene transfection efficiency due to efficient cellular uptake and endosomal escape. Moreover, in vivo performance evaluation after intravenous injection confirmed that TPMs achieved significantly prolonged blood circulation, high tumor accumulation, and promoted gene expression in tumor tissue. Moreover, TPMs loading therapeutic pDNA encoding an anti-angiogenic protein remarkably suppressed tumor growth following intravenous injection into H22 tumor-bearing mice. These results suggest TPMs with PEG shells and facilely engineered intermediate barrier to inner complexed pDNA have great potentials as systemic nonviral gene vectors for cancer gene therapy.

Novel multi-sensitive pseudo-poly(amino acid) for effective intracellular drug delivery

Schematic illustration of DOX loading, endocytosis and intracellular microenvironment triggered release from PRDSP@DOX NPs.

Biodegradable dextran vesicles for effective haemoglobin encapsulation

Biocompatible and biodegradable dextran–PLA copolymer self-assembled into polymeric vesicles, which could encapsulate the hemoglobin. The encapsulated hemoglobin retained biological activity and could be potentially used as blood substitute.