Optimization of Hydrophobic Group Structures Covalently Incorporated into Gelatin Hydrogels for Efficient Adsorption and Release of Hydrophobic Drugs.
- 1Department of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, 1-21-40 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan.
- 2Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology, and Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, 1-21-40 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan.
- 3Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Institute of Science Tokyo, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.
Abstract
Hydrophobically modified gelatin (HMG) hydrogels are promising proof-of-concept drug delivery carriers. However, the structural effects of incorporated hydrophobic groups remain systematically unexamined. Here, twelve linear fatty and aromatic hydrophobic groups with varying carbon numbers were incorporated into gelatin to identify optimal structures for hydrophobic drug loading. Adsorption behaviors of three drug models were quantitatively evaluated per mole of incorporated carbon atoms. Linear fatty aldehydes with 11 and 12 carbon atoms (F-CHO-C11 and C12) achieved maximum adsorption efficiency, with equilibrium adsorption capacities of 0.35×10-3 and 0.34×10-3 mol-rhodamine B/mol-carbon atoms, respectively. Thermodynamic calculations (COSMO-SAC) and quantum chemical simulations (Gaussian MP2) supported the idea that longer alkyl chains enhance affinity, yielding higher interaction energy (-11.8kcal/mol for C12 vs. -5.73kcal/mol for C4). Furthermore, F-CHO-C12 HMG hydrogel achieved a substantial dexamethasone loading capacity of approximately 2.8×10-6 mol/g-dry polymer (unmodified gelatin showed negligible loading <0.08×10-6 mol/g-dry polymer) and sustained release at 37 °C (∼95% cumulative release without initial burst). These findings establish quantitative design guidelines for hydrophobically modified polymer hydrogels.
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BibTeX
@article{nishimura2026optimization,
title = {{Optimization of Hydrophobic Group Structures Covalently Incorporated into Gelatin Hydrogels for Efficient Adsorption and Release of Hydrophobic Drugs.}},
author = {Ko Nishimura and Takanori Matsumoto and Kazunori Kanamaru and Saki Kobaru and Takeshi Ishikawa and Yuna Tatsumi and Yusuke Shimoyama and Masahiro Yoshida and Takayuki Takei},
journal = {Gels (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/gels12100941},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42929975},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Optimization of Hydrophobic Group Structures Covalently Incorporated into Gelatin Hydrogels for Efficient Adsorption and Release of Hydrophobic Drugs.
AU - Ko Nishimura
AU - Takanori Matsumoto
AU - Kazunori Kanamaru
AU - Saki Kobaru
AU - Takeshi Ishikawa
AU - Yuna Tatsumi
AU - Yusuke Shimoyama
AU - Masahiro Yoshida
AU - Takayuki Takei
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
JO - Gels (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/gels12100941
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42929975
AB - Hydrophobically modified gelatin (HMG) hydrogels are promising proof-of-concept drug delivery carriers. However, the structural effects of incorporated hydrophobic groups remain systematically unexamined. Here, twelve linear fatty and aromatic hydrophobic groups with varying carbon numbers were incorporated into gelatin to identify optimal structures for hydrophobic drug loading. Adsorption behaviors of three drug models were quantitatively evaluated per mole of incorporated carbon atoms. Linear fatty aldehydes with 11 and 12 carbon atoms (F-CHO-C11 and C12) achieved maximum adsorption efficiency, with equilibrium adsorption capacities of 0.35×10-3 and 0.34×10-3 mol-rhodamine B/mol-carbon atoms, respectively. Thermodynamic calculations (COSMO-SAC) and quantum chemical simulations (Gaussian MP2) supported the idea that longer alkyl chains enhance affinity, yielding higher interaction energy (-11.8kcal/mol for C12 vs. -5.73kcal/mol for C4). Furthermore, F-CHO-C12 HMG hydrogel achieved a substantial dexamethasone loading capacity of approximately 2.8×10-6 mol/g-dry polymer (unmodified gelatin showed negligible loading <0.08×10-6 mol/g-dry polymer) and sustained release at 37 °C (∼95% cumulative release without initial burst). These findings establish quantitative design guidelines for hydrophobically modified polymer hydrogels.
SN - 2310-2861
ER -