A Redox-Responsive Supramolecular Hydrogel for Controllable Dye Release

A novel and simple strategy for preparing a redox-responsive supramolecular hydrogel coassembled from phenylalanine derivative gelator and 4,4′-dipyridine disulfide is reported in this study. The driving force for the coassembly process is intermolecular hydrogen bonds, as confirmed by various characterization methods, such as ¹H NMR, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. The disulfide-containing nanofibrous hydrogel is able to control over the release of encapsulated dyes in response to the reductive condition mimicking the intracellular environment like tumor tissues and should be a promising system for controllable drug release in the fields of nanomedicine and cancer therapy. Redox-responsive supramolecular hydrogels coassembled from small organic molecules are constructed using a novel and easy approach. The ability of the nanofibrous hydrogel to encapsulate a controllable-release model drug under the reductive condition mimicking the intracellular environment is demonstrated. The results suggest the redox-responsive coassembled hydrogel holds great promise as a drug carrier for controllable drug release in nanomedicine and cancer therapy.