Water-borne polymeric nanoparticles for glutathione-mediated intracellular delivery of anticancer drugs

A new family of water-borne, biocompatible and carboxyl-functionalized nanogels was developed for glutathione-mediated delivery of anticancer drugs. Poly(N-vinyl-pyrrolidone)-co-acrylic acid nanogels were generated by e-beam irradiation of aqueous solutions of a crosslinkable polymer, using industrial-type linear accelerators and setups. Nanogels physico-chemical properties and colloidal stability, in a wide pH range, were investigated. In vitro cell studies proved that the nanogels are fully biocompatible and able to quantitatively bypass cellular membrane. An anticancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX), was linked to the carboxyl groups of NGs through a spacer containing a disulphide cleavable linkage. In vitro release studies showed that glutathione is able to trigger the release of DOX through the reduction of the S-S linkage at a concentration comparable to its levels in the cytosol.