synthesis and characterization of smart dual sensitive nanogel for breast cancer treatment

Aim and background: breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer that has caused high mortality in women and chemotherapy is still the most widely used method. the key point to treat cancer is to have a controlled and targeted drug delivery system with high efficiency. to this aim, we designed and fabricated dextran-based ph-redox sensitive nanogels with controlled release property.methods: doxorubicin loaded nanogels were fabricated by single emulsion technique. physicochemical properties of the nanogels such as particle size, zeta potential, loading efficiency and the release profile were studied. cell viability assays of the treated cells were performed using the mtt assay.results and discussion: six dual sensitive doxorubicin nanogel formulations with different ratios of polymer/cross linker and different water/oil ratios were made by single emulsion method. all formulations had a particle diameter of 120-854 nm with low polydispersity index and negative zeta potential. also, the drug encapsulation percentage in all nanogels was approximately 90%. in vitro drug release studies confirmed that dox was released much faster under acidic condition (ph 5.5, 6.5) and in the presence of gsh than ph 7.4 without gsh. dual sensitive nanogels exhibited significant in vitro antitumor activity.conclusion: the dual sensitive nanogels can be used as a candidate for microenvironment-responsive drug delivery system for cancer therapy. schiff base between dextran aldehyde and cystamine dihydrochloride were degradable under acidic condition and the presence of gsh, the drug-loaded nanogel showed a ph-redox dependent release profile.