"Clickable" Nanogels via Thermally Driven Self-Assembly of Polymers: Facile Access to Targeted Imaging Platforms using Thiol-Maleimide Conjugation

Multifunctionalizable nanogels are fabricated using thermally driven self-assembly and cross-linking of reactive thermoresponsive copolymers. Nanogels thus fabricated can be easily conjugated with various appropriately functionalized small molecules and/or ligands to tailor them for various applications in delivery and imaging. In this study, a poly(ethylene glycol)-methacrylate-based maleimide-bearing copolymer was cross-linked with a dithiol-based cross-linker to synthesize nanogels. Because of lower critical solution temperature (LCST) around 55 degrees C in aqueous media, these copolymers assemble into nanosized aggregates when heated to this temperature, and they are cross-linked using the thiol maleimide conjugation. Nanogels thus fabricated contain both thiol and maleimide groups in the same cross-linked nanogels. Postgelation functionalization of the residual maleimide and thiol groups is demonstrated through conjugation of a thiol-bearing hydrophobic dye (BODIPY-SH) and N-(fluoresceinyl) maleimide, respectively. In addition, to demonstrate the utility of multifunctionality of these nanogels, a thiol-bearing cyclic-peptide-based targeting group, cRGDfC, and N-(fluoresceinyl)-maleimide-based fluorescent tag was conjugated to nanogels in aqueous media. Upon treatment with breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231, it was deduced from cellular internalization studies using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry that the peptide carrying constructs were preferentially internalized. Overall, a facile synthesis of multifunctionalizable nanogels that can be tailored using effective conjugation chemistry under mild conditions can serve as promising candidates for various applications.