Harnessing nanoreactors: gelatin nanogels for human therapeutic protein delivery

Abstract

Nanogels, polymeric nano-hydrogels suspended in an aqueous solution, have emerged as potential vehicles for transporting therapeutic proteins. These systems offer high protein loading capacity and a tunable gel matrix for controlled protein encapsulation and release. In this study, we designed and fabricated nanogels via a nanoreactor method (i.e., water droplets in organic solvent), followed by radical photopolymerization, and investigated the tunable swelling properties of the nanogels. Our results demonstrated that nanogels with less modified gelatin had a higher degree of swelling capacity and larger mesh size. Interestingly, we found that the initial size of the nanogels was solely dependent on the nanoreactor condition rather than the modified gelatin, the gelling biomaterial, signifying the importance of nanoreactor control in particle size determination. Nanogels showcased high protein loading capacity and rapid response to changes in salt condition, pH, and temperature, thereby accelerating the rates of protein release. This study demonstrated the tunable swelling properties, high protein loading and rapid release ability of nanogels triggered by internal/external modulators. Therefore, the nanogels developed in this study present a versatile platform for protein delivery, offering enhanced protein absorption and release capabilities.