α-Cyclodextrin concentration-controlled thermo-sensitive supramolecular hydrogels

- G-C base-pairings were explored to prepare supramolecular hydrogels (SHG).
- G and C acted as additional network junctions.
- SHG showed enhanced rheological properties.
- SHG exhibited excellent cytocompatibility and temperature-responsivity.
- SHG could be used as drug delivery.

Supramolecular hydrogels (SHGs) built from inclusion complex of macrocyclic compound α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) have attracted much interest due to their excellent biocompatibility and great potential for biomedical applications. In this work, the hydrogen bond of nucleic acid was introduced into the above-mentioned SHG by syntheses of nucleobase guanine/cytosine (G/C)-terminated PEG (G-PEG-G/C-PEG-C). The base-pairing interaction between G and C as an additional network junction effectively enhanced storage moduli (G's) of the hydrogels. Moreover, the prepared hydrogels exhibited excellent cytocompatibility and property for controlled drug release, outlining the potential of thermo-sensitive construct for biomedical applications, such as local chemotherapy of cancers.

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