Influence of nanogel amphiphilicity on dermal delivery: balancing surface hydrophobicity and network rigidity

Item Type:	Article
Title:	Influence of nanogel amphiphilicity on dermal delivery: balancing surface hydrophobicity and network rigidity
Creators Name:	Gruber, Al. and Joshi, A.A. and Graff, P. and Cuéllar-Camacho, J.L. and Hedtrich, S. and Klinger, D.
Abstract:	Polymeric nanogels are promising nonirritating nanocarriers for topical delivery applications. However, conventional hydrophilic networks limit encapsulation of hydrophobic therapeutics and hinder tailored interactions with the amphiphilic skin barrier. To address these limitations, we present amphiphilic nanogels containing hydrophilic networks with hydrophobic domains. Two competing factors determine favorable nanogel-skin interactions and need to be balanced through network composition: suitable surface hydrophobicity and low network rigidity (through physical hydrophobic cross-links). To ensure comparability in such investigations, we prepared a library of nanogels with increasing hydrophobic cholesteryl amounts but similar colloidal features. By combining mechanical and surface hydrophobicity tests (atomic force microscopy (AFM)) with dermal delivery experiments on excised human skin, we can correlate an increased delivery efficacy of Nile red to the viable epidermis with a specific network composition, i.e., 20-30 mol % cholesterol. Thus, our nanogel library identifies a specific balance between surface amphiphilicity and network rigidity to guide developments of advanced dermal delivery vehicles.
Keywords:	Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions, Nanogels, Polyethylene Glycols, Polyethyleneimine
Source:	Biomacromolecules
ISSN:	1526-4602
Publisher:	American Chemical Society
Volume:	23
Number:	1
Page Range:	112-127
Date:	10 January 2022
Official Publication:	https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.biomac.1c01100
PubMed:	View item in PubMed

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