Due
to the high reactivity of reactive oxygen species
(ROS), it
is essential to sweep them away in time. In this study, ClO–-responsible amphiphilic brush polymers were prepared by free radical
polymerization using two monomers consisting of polyethylene glycol
as the hydrophilic part, and an alkyl chain connected by hydrazone
as the hydrophobic part. The macromolecules assemble into particles
with nanoscaled dimensions in a neutral buffer, which ensures quick
cellular internalization. The polymer has a low critical micellization
concentration and can encapsulate hydrophobic drug molecules up to
19% wt. The micelles formed by the polymer disassemble in a ClO–-rich environment and release 80% of their cargo within
2 h, which possesses a faster release rate compared to the previous
systems. The relatively small size and the quick response of hydrazone
toward ClO– ensure a quick uptake and elimination
of ROS in vitro and in vivo.
Diabetes has been listed as one of the three major diseases that endanger human health. Accurately injecting insulin (Ins) depending on the level of blood glucose (LBG) is the standard treatment, especially controlling LBG in the long‐term by a single injection. Herein, the pH‐responsive hexa‐histidine metal assembly (HmA) encapsulated with enzymes (GOx and CAT) and Ins (HmA@GCI) is engineered as the vehicle for glucose‐mediated insulin delivery. HmA not only shows high proteins loading efficiency, but also well retained proteins activity and protect proteins from protease damage. Within HmA, the biocatalytic activities of enzymes and the efficiency of the cascade reaction between GOx and CAT are enhanced, leading to a super response to the change of LBG with insulin release and efficient clearance of harmful byproducts of GOx (H2O2). In the treatment of diabetic mice, HmA@GCI reduces LBG to normal in half an hour and maintains for more than 5 days by a single subcutaneous injection, and nearly 24 days with four consecutive injections. During the test period, no symptoms of hypoglycemia and toxicity to tissues and organs are observed. These results indicate that HmA@GCI is a safe and long‐acting hypoglycemic agent with prospective clinical application.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.