Design of nanogels for targeted delivery of dinitrosyl iron complexes (nitric oxide donors)

The main problem in oncology is the lack of specificity of action of many antitumor drugs, which creates a need for the development of new technologies providing targeted delivery of drugs to cancer cells. Nanogels from chitosan and hyaluronic acid were obtained using cross-linking reagents. To obtain nanogels, various ratios of chitosan and hyaluronic acid (1:1.25, 1:2.5, 1:5, 2:1, 5:1) were used. As a result, nanogels of various sizes and morphologies were obtained. Electron microscopy showed that nanogels are polydisperse and have a size of 100—400 nm. Dynamic light scattering method established that the obtained nanogels are positively charged and have a surface potential of (+) 5.3 ±0.31. Stability of nanogels in water, fetal bovine serum, and saline, as well as that of nanogels-dinitrosy iron complex was studied. Results of dynamic light scat-tering showed that nanogels retain high stability and are resistant to aggregation in water and in physiologi-cal solutions. Cytotoxicity of these nanogels was studied using the fluorescence method, which showed that nanogels in the growth medium at 20, 40, and 60 % are compatible with cells, with cell viability maintained at levels ranging from 100 to 78 %. The nanogels-dinitrosy iron complex has been proved to suppress the viability of prostate cancer cells 1.5 times. These results underscore the potential of nanogels in improving cancer treatment through enhanced targeted delivery and inhibition of cell viability of cancer cells.