Type 1 diabetes management is currently done by multiple insulin injections or by the use of an insulin pump that will mimic pancreatic activity. In this context, glucose-sensitive nanogels represent high potential candidates for controlled delivery of insulin. The majority of materials developed so far are limited to biological in vitro studies, which is partly due to the non-biocompatibility and limited biodegradability of polymers used for the preparation of such materials. To fulfill these criteria, we proposed to develop nanogels based on biocompatible and biodegradable polysaccharides. Previous work in our laboratory focused on the design of boronate-crosslinked hydrogels based on hyaluronic acid. This polysaccharide was functionalized with derivatives of phenylboronic acid (PBA) and of maltose. The dynamic covalent boronate ester crosslinks between the polysaccharide chains enabled to induce a structural change of the hydrogel in response to various stimuli such as pH or addition of carbohydrate molecules.

In order to facilitate administration of such materials, we extended the concept to the formation of nanogels. Sugar- and pH-sensitive nanogels could be successfully obtained in physiological conditions thanks to the judicious choice of the polysaccharide partners, bearing PBA moieties and diol-containing molecules. These nanogels can entrap insulin during their formation with an entrapment efficiency of 45% to 80% and a loading capacity ranging from 10% to 60%. Preliminary experiments indicated a low release of insulin from the nanogels. Finally, in view of the pH-sensitivity of these nanogels and the slight acidic pH of the tumor environment, we investigated their potential application for the treatment of cancer. In vitro experiment demonstrated a low toxicity of our nanogels on cancer cells. Preliminary in vivo experiments indicated that the nanogels can circulate in the bloodstream.