Recent progress of polymeric nanogels for gene delivery

Abstract

With its nearly unrestricted possibilities, gene therapy attracts more and more significance in modern-day research. The only issue still seeming to hold back its clinical success is the actual effective delivery of genetic material. Nucleic acids are in general challenging to administer to their intracellular targets due to their unfavorable pharmaceutical characteristics. Polymeric nanogels present a promising delivery platform for oligonucleotide-based therapies, as the growing number of reports deliberated in this review represents. Within the scope of this article, recent progress in the employment of nanogels as gene delivery vectors is summarized and different examples of modified, stimuli-responsive, targeted and co-delivering nanogels are discussed in detail. Furthermore, major aspects of successful gene delivery are addressed and critically debated in regards to nanogels, giving insights into what progress has been made and which key issues still need to be further approached.

Alginate-Based Platforms for Cancer-Targeted Drug Delivery

“…This platform combines the beneficial functions of larger hydrogel particles and those of nanosized particles, including high mechanical strength, the ability to prolong the circulation period of cargo loading in the bloodstream, and an enhanced permeability to tumor sites. In addition, it has large encapsulation cavities, the capability of swelling, and responsiveness so that it can easily be administered intravenously and deliver drugs to various target regions and cells [ 25 ]. Crosslinking is a necessary step to fabricate nanogels.…”

“…Crosslinking is a necessary step to fabricate nanogels. The synthesis of nanogels is mostly achieved by two major strategies: the emulsion technique and the precursor technique [ 25 , 26 ].…”

Influence of the Core Formulation on Features and Drug Delivery Ability of Carbamate-Based Nanogels

“…They are commonly identified as a nano-system made of an aqueous dispersion of hydrogel particles obtained through a chemically or physically crosslinking network [ 4 , 5 ]. The main features of nanogels, such as nanometric dimensions, swelling behavior, high stability, great drug loading, and release ability, made them an ideal candidate for drug delivery applications [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Many references are available in literature that testify the dissemination that nanogels have acquired in the nanomedicine field and in the treatment of various pathologies, confirming the efficacy they have in respect to conventional treatments (e.g., improved pharmacokinetics, precise targeting, reduced side effects) [ 4 , 9 ] and their potential in stimuli-responsive targeted therapies (e.g., thermoresponsive nanogels) [ 10 , 11 ].…”

Recent Advances in Degradable Hybrids of Biomolecules and NGs for Targeted Delivery

“…Also, the effective carrier should be successfully metabolized and removed from the body. Finally, the single injection-based nanocarrier that possesses the ability for high-capacity drug loading and for prolonged, sustained and controlled drug release would be a great advantage [1,2].…”