Stimuli‐Responsive Poly(Disulfide)s: A Versatile Platform for Intelligent Drug Delivery Systems

ABSTRACT Poly(disulfide)s represent a class of dynamic polymers whose synthesis is facilitated by the reversible exchange and recombination of disulfide bonds. This unique polymerization mechanism, combined with the structural flexibility of cyclic disulfide monomers and the diversity of ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) methods, enables precise control over polymer architecture and functionality. The resulting materials exhibit remarkable characteristics including reversible redox‐responsiveness, tunable degradation kinetics, self‐healing capabilities, and enhanced cellular uptake efficiency. This review systematically examines the fundamental aspects of poly(disulfide)s, beginning with the design principles of monomer structures and progressing through various ROP strategies such as thermal, photo‐initiated, and catalyst‐mediated approaches. We critically analyze how these synthetic parameters influence key polymer properties including molecular weight distribution, stimulus responsiveness, and biocompatibility. The application potential of poly(disulfide)s in drug delivery is comprehensively explored, with particular focus on their performance in nucleic acid delivery systems for gene therapy, protein and peptide delivery for biotherapeutic applications, and small molecule drug carriers for enhanced therapeutic efficacy. By integrating recent advances in polymer chemistry with biomedical engineering perspectives, this review aims to provide valuable insights for the rational design of poly(disulfide)‐based delivery platforms and their translation into clinical applications.

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Publication Details

Journal
MedComm – Biomaterials and Applications
Published
2026-03-31
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/mba2.70046
Primary Topic
Advanced Polymer Synthesis and Characterization
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Stimuli‐Responsive Poly(Disulfide)s: A Versatile Platform for Intelligent Drug Delivery Systems

Xinglv Chen, Xi Song, Qiuhong Ouyang, Yujie Sun et al.
MedComm – Biomaterials and Applications
Advanced Polymer Synthesis and Characterization
article

Stimuli‐Responsive Poly(Disulfide)s: A Versatile Platform for Intelligent Drug Delivery Systems

Xinglv Chen, Xi Song, Qiuhong Ouyang, Yujie Sun, Yuechen He, Bingran Yu, Meng Qin, Qian Zhong
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Poly(disulfide)s represent a class of dynamic polymers whose synthesis is facilitated by the reversible exchange and recombination of disulfide bonds. This unique polymerization mechanism, combined with the structural flexibility of cyclic disulfide monomers and the diversity of ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) methods, enables precise control over polymer architecture and functionality. The resulting materials exhibit remarkable characteristics including reversible redox‐responsiveness, tunable degradation kinetics, self‐healing capabilities, and enhanced cellular uptake efficiency. This review systematically examines the fundamental aspects of poly(disulfide)s, beginning with the design principles of monomer structures and progressing through various ROP strategies such as thermal, photo‐initiated, and catalyst‐mediated approaches. We critically analyze how these synthetic parameters influence key polymer properties including molecular weight distribution, stimulus responsiveness, and biocompatibility. The application potential of poly(disulfide)s in drug delivery is comprehensively explored, with particular focus on their performance in nucleic acid delivery systems for gene therapy, protein and peptide delivery for biotherapeutic applications, and small molecule drug carriers for enhanced therapeutic efficacy. By integrating recent advances in polymer chemistry with biomedical engineering perspectives, this review aims to provide valuable insights for the rational design of poly(disulfide)‐based delivery platforms and their translation into clinical applications.

MedComm – Biomaterials and ApplicationsVol. 5(2)
Sichuan University (CN), Beijing University of Chemical Technology (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Openalex Percentile: Top 28%
Advanced Polymer Synthesis and Characterization
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