A multi-photoresponsive supramolecular hydrogel with dual-color fluorescence and dual-modal photodynamic action

Current trends in gas-synergized phototherapy for improved antitumor theranostics

Phototherapy, such as photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT), has been considered an elegant solution to eradicate tumors due to its minimal invasiveness and low systemic toxicity. Nevertheless, it is still challenging for phototherapy to achieve ideal outcomes and clinical translation due to its inherent drawbacks. Owing to the unique biological functions, diverse gases have attracted growing attention in combining with phototherapy to achieve super-additive therapeutic effects. Specifically, gases such as nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) have been proven to kill tumor cells by inducing mitochondrial damage in synergy with phototherapy. Additionally, several gases not only enhance the thermal damage in PTT and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in PDT but also improve the tumor accumulation of photoactive agents. The inflammatory responses triggered by hyperthermia in PTT are also suppressed by the combination of gases. Herein, we comprehensively review the latest studies on gas-synergized phototherapy for cancer therapy, including (1) synergistic mechanisms of combining gases with phototherapy; (2) design of nanoplatforms for gas-synergized phototherapy; (3) multimodal therapy based on gas-synergized phototherapy; (4) imaging-guided gas-synergized phototherapy. Finally, the current challenges and future opportunities of gas-synergized phototherapy for tumor treatment are discussed. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: 1. The novelty and significance of the work with respect to the existing literature. (1) Strategies to design nanoplatforms for gas-synergized anti-tumor phototherapy have been summarized for the first time. Meanwhile, the integration of various imaging technologies and therapy modalities which endow these nanoplatforms with advanced theranostic capabilities has been summarized. (2) The mechanisms by which gases synergize with phototherapy to eradicate tumors are innovatively and comprehensively summarized. 2. The scientific impact and interest. This review elaborates current trends in gas-synergized anti-tumor phototherapy, with special emphases on synergistic anti-tumor mechanisms and rational design of therapeutic nanoplatforms to achieve this synergistic therapy. It aims to provide valuable guidance for researchers in this field.

Recent Advances in Hydrogel-Mediated Nitric Oxide Delivery Systems Targeted for Wound Healing Applications

Despite the noticeable evolution in wound treatment over the centuries, a functional material that promotes correct and swift wound healing is important, considering the relative weight of chronic wounds in healthcare. Difficult to heal in a fashionable time, chronic wounds are more prone to infections and complications thereof. Nitric oxide (NO) has been explored for wound healing applications due to its appealing properties, which in the wound healing context include vasodilation, angiogenesis promotion, cell proliferation, and antimicrobial activity. NO delivery is facilitated by molecules that release NO when prompted, whose stability is ensured using carriers. Hydrogels, popular materials for wound dressings, have been studied as scaffolds for NO storage and delivery, showing promising results such as enhanced wound healing, controlled and sustained NO release, and bactericidal properties. Systems reported so far regarding NO delivery by hydrogels are reviewed.

Implementation of Water-Soluble Cyclodextrin-Based Polymers in Biomedical Applications: How Far are we?

Cyclodextrin-based polymers can be prepared starting from the naturally occurring monomers following green and low-cost procedures. They can be selectively derivatized pre- or post-polymerization allowing to fine-tune functionalities of ad hoc customized polymers. Preparation nowadays has reached the 100 g scale thanks also to the interest of industries in these extremely versatile compounds. During the last 15 years these macromolecules have been the object of intense investigations in view of possible biomedical applications as the ultimate goal and large amounts of scientific data are now available. Compared to their monomeric models, already used in the formulation of various therapeutic agents, they display superior behavior in terms of their solubility in water and solubilizing power towards drugs incompatible with biological fluids. Moreover, they allow the combination of more than one type of therapeutic agent in the polymeric system. In this review we provide a complete state-of-the-art on the knowledge and potentialities of water-soluble cyclodextrin-based polymers as therapeutic agents as well as carrier systems for different types of therapeutics to implement combination therapy. Finally, we give a perspective on their assets for innovation in disease treatment as well as their limits that still need to be addressed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Metal-Coordinated Supramolecular Self-Assemblies for Cancer Theranostics

Metal-coordinated supramolecular nanoassemblies have recently attracted extensive attention as materials for cancer theranostics. Owing to their unique physicochemical properties, metal-coordinated supramolecular self-assemblies can bridge the boundary between traditional inorganic and organic materials. By tailoring the structural components of the metal ions and binding ligands, numerous multifunctional theranostic nanomedicines can be constructed. Metal-coordinated supramolecular nanoassemblies can modulate the tumor microenvironment (TME), thus facilitating the development of TME-responsive nanomedicines. More importantly, TME-responsive organic-inorganic hybrid nanomaterials can be constructed in vivo by exploiting the metal-coordinated self-assembly of a variety of functional ligands, which is a promising strategy for enhancing the tumor accumulation of theranostic molecules. In this review, recent advancements in the design and fabrication of metal-coordinated supramolecular nanomedicines for cancer theranostics are highlighted. These supramolecular compounds are classified according to the order in which the coordinated metal ions appear in the periodic table. Furthermore, the prospects and challenges of metal-coordinated supramolecular self-assemblies for both technical advances and clinical translation are discussed. In particular, the superiority of TME-responsive nanomedicines for in vivo coordinated self-assembly is elaborated, with an emphasis on strategies that enhance the accumulation of functional components in tumors for an ideal theranostic outcome.

Strategies for Cancer Treatment Based on Photonic Nanomedicine

Traditional cancer treatments, such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, are still the most effective clinical practice options. However, these treatments may display moderate to severe side effects caused by their low temporal or spatial resolution. In this sense, photonic nanomedicine therapies have been arising as an alternative to traditional cancer treatments since they display more control of temporal and spatial resolution, thereby yielding fewer side effects. In this work, we reviewed the challenge of current cancer treatments, using the PubMed and Web of Science database, focusing on the advances of three prominent therapies approached by photonic nanomedicine: (i) photothermal therapy; (ii) photodynamic therapy; (iii) photoresponsive drug delivery systems. These photonic nanomedicines act on the cancer cells through different mechanisms, such as hyperthermic effect and delivery of chemotherapeutics and species that cause oxidative stress. Furthermore, we covered the recent advances in materials science applied in photonic nanomedicine, highlighting the main classes of materials used in each therapy, their applications in the context of cancer treatment, as well as their advantages, limitations, and future perspectives. Finally, although some photonic nanomedicines are undergoing clinical trials, their effectiveness in cancer treatment have already been highlighted by pre-clinical studies.

Applications of Photoinduced Phenomena in Supramolecularly Arranged Phthalocyanine Derivatives: A Perspective

This review focuses on the description of several examples of supramolecular assemblies of phthalocyanine derivatives differently functionalized and interfaced with diverse kinds of chemical species for photo-induced phenomena applications. In fact, the role of different substituents was investigated in order to tune peculiar aggregates formation as well as, with the same aim, the possibility to interface these derivatives with other molecular species, as electron donor and acceptor, carbon allotropes, cyclodextrins, protein cages, drugs. Phthalocyanine photo-physical features are indeed really interesting and appealing but need to be preserved and optimized. Here, we highlight that the supramolecular approach is a versatile method to build up very complex and functional architectures. Further, the possibility to minimize the organization energy and to facilitate the spontaneous assembly of the molecules, in numerous examples, has been demonstrated to be more useful and performing than the covalent approach.

Polycyclodextrins: Synthesis, functionalization, and applications

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligosaccharides with unique conical structure enabling host-guest inclusion complexes. However, virgin CDs sufferfrom low solubility, lack of functional groups and its inability to strong complexation with the guests. One of the most efficient ways to improve the properties of cyclodextrins is the synthesis of polycyclodextrins. Generally, there are two types of polycyclodextrins: 1) polymers containing CD units as parts of the main backbone; and 2) polymers with CD units as side chains. These polycyclodextrins are produced (i) from direct copolymerization of virgin cyclodextrins or cyclodextrins derivatives with various monomers including isocyanates, epoxides, carboxylic acids, anhydrides, acrylates, acrylamides and fluorinated aromatic compounds, or (ii) by post-functionalization of other polymers with CDs or CD derivatives.. By selecting the proper derivatives of CDs and controlling the polymerization, polycyclodextrins with linear, hyperbranched, and crosslinked structures have been synthesized. Polycyclodextrins have found significant applications in numerous areas, as adsorbents for removal of organic pollutants, carriers in gene/drug delivery, and for preparation of supramolecular based hydrogels. The focus of this review paper is placed on the synthesis, characterization, and applications of CDs so as to highlight challenges as well as the promising features of the future ahead of material developments based on CDs.

Cyclodextrin nanosponge as a temoporfin nanocarrier: Balancing between accumulation and penetration in 3D tumor spheroids

As the intertissue delivery of hydrophobic temoporfin (mTHPC) remains inefficient, we propose the use of cyclodextrin-based nanosponges as a smart, advanced system for improved mTHPC delivery. Recently, we demonstrated that cyclodextrins (CDs) allow mTHPC to penetrate into tumor spheroids via a nanoshuttle mechanism. However, the CD complexes were very sensitive to the dilution, thus limiting their translation invivo. Hypercrosslinked CD monomers in a three-dimensional network (namely, CD nanosponges), however, may form both inclusion and non-inclusion complexes with drug molecules, providing controlled release and prolonged exposure to the drug. In the present work, we demonstrate that epichlorohydrin-crosslinked CD nanosponges based on β-CD (βCDp) and carboxymethyl-β-CD (CMβCDp) monomers efficiently encapsulated mTHPC. We calculated the apparent binding constants between mTHPC and CD polymers (K=(6.3-8.8) × 10⁶M^-1 and K=(1.2-1.7) × 10⁶M^-1 for βCDp and CMβCDp, respectively) using fluorescence titration curve fitting. The encapsulation of mTHPC in a CD polymer matrix had slower photosensitizer (PS) release compared to monomer CD units, providing deep penetration of mTHPC in 3D tumor spheroids in a concentration-dependent manner. However, the improvement of mTHPC penetration in 3D human pharynx squamous cell carcinoma (FaDu) spheroids using CD polymers was strongly accompanied by the inhibition of PS cellular uptake, demonstrating the delicate balance between the accumulation and the penetration of PS in FaDu spheroids. In summary, mTHPC-loaded CD nanosponges are a strong candidate for further invivo study in preclinical models, which could be considered as an advanced smart system for mTHPC delivery.

Host-guest complexes - Boosting the performance of photosensitizers

In this review, we will show the diversity of supramolecular host-guest complexes of cyclodextrins, cucurbit[n]urils, calix[n]- and pillar[n]arenes with photosensitizers, like porphyrins and phthalocyanines. Host-guest complexes are one of the main building blocks in supramolecular chemistry. For example, they have been widely used to encapsulate hydrophobic drug molecules to enhance the bioavailability in the human body. In these days of multiresistant bacteria and difficulties in cancer therapy, supramolecular host-guest systems with photosensitizers for the photodynamic therapy(PDT) gain more and more interest. In general, photosensitizers with a (large) conjugated aromatic π-system are used, which tend to π-πstacking in aqueous media suppressing the cell toxicity by singletoxygen production quenching. This can be overcome by the formation of host-guest complexes. Besides that, encapsulation of the photosensitizers in host molecules can enhance the solubility, increase cellular uptake, lead to hydrogels, rotaxanes, and switchable systems.

Porphyrinoid-Cyclodextrin Assemblies in Biomedical Research: An Update

Porphyrinoids, well-known cofactors in fundamental processes of life, have stimulated interest as synthetic models of natural systems and integral components of photodynamic therapy, but their utilization is compromised by self-aggregation in aqueous media. The capacity of cyclodextrins to include hydrophobic molecules in their cavity provides porphyrinoids with a protective environment against oxidation and the ability to disperse efficiently in biological fluids. Moreover, engineered cyclodextrin-porphyrinoid assemblies enhance the photodynamic abilities of porphyrinoids, can carry chemotherapeutics for synergistic modalities, and can be enriched with functions including cell recognition, tissue penetration, and imaging. This Perspective includes synthetic porphyrinoid-cyclodextrin models of proteins participating in fundamental processes, such as enzymatic catalysis, respiration, and electron transfer. In addition, since porphyrinoid-cyclodextrin systems comprise third generation photosensitizers, recent developments for their utilization in photomedicine, that is, multimodal therapy for cancer (e.g., PDT, PTT) and antimicrobial treatment, and eventually in biocompatible therapeutic or diagnostic platforms for next-generation nanomedicine and theranostics are discussed.

Quantification of energy of activation to supramolecular nanofibre formation reveals enthalpic and entropic effects and morphological consequence

We show a self-assembly process leading to fibres from a system that starts far from equilibrium because of fast solvent - anti-solvent mixing and analyse the activation energies associated with the aggregation. It is in some ways reminiscent of diverse natural fibrous materials that have kinetic behaviour dominated by a rate limiting induction period followed by rapid growth. A full thermodynamic rationale for these systems and related synthetic ones is required for a full understanding of the driving force of their non-equilibrium self-assembly. Here we determine quantitatively the enthalpy and entropy of activation for the processes leading to the growth of fibres of this type, that contrasts with analysis of other systems where final energetic states are analysed. A dramatic effect is revealed whereby comparatively small changes in temperature or solvent composition (the ratio of water to ethanol) lead to alterations in the relative importance of enthalpy and entropy of activation and massive changes in the speed of fibre formation. The characteristics of the kinetic model adopted show a correlation with the fibre morphology of the self-assembled materials, which are isostructural according to diffraction experiments: the control of growth can lead to fibres only two bilayers thick. The crossover in behaviour is characteristic of the solvent mixture and the thermodynamic analysis points to the origins of this effect where different assembly routes are viable under only marginally different conditions.

Self-assembled injectable biomolecular hydrogels towards phototherapy

Biomolecular hydrogels assembled from biomolecules, such as proteins, peptides, and polysaccharides, are promising candidates for facilitating biomedical applications due to their advantages of high biocompatibility, adjustable mechanical properties, functional diversity, and good degradability. This review focuses on current progress in the field of supramolecular injectable biomolecular hydrogels and their applications in antitumor photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), combined PDT and PTT, and antibacterial phototherapy with emphasis on biomolecular hydrogelators, injectable behaviors, phototherapeutic functions, and the remaining challenges. We hope that this review can provide useful inspiration for the construction and biological applications of novel photo-functional hydrogels as well as phototherapies.

Hydrogels: soft matters in photomedicine

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), a shining beacon in the realm of photomedicine, is a non-invasive technique that utilizes dye-based photosensitizers (PSs) in conjunction with light and oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species to combat malignant tissues and infectious microorganisms. Yet, for PDT to become a common, routine therapy, it is still necessary to overcome limitations such as photosensitizer solubility, long-term side effects (e.g., photosensitivity) and to develop safe, biocompatible and target-specific formulations. Polymer based drug delivery platforms are an effective strategy for the delivery of PSs for PDT applications. Among them, hydrogels and 3D polymer scaffolds with the ability to swell in aqueous media have been deeply investigated. Particularly, hydrogel-based formulations present real potential to fulfill all requirements of an ideal PDT platform by overcoming the solubility issues, while improving the selectivity and targeting drawbacks of the PSs alone. In this perspective, we summarize the use of hydrogels as carrier systems of PSs to enhance the effectiveness of PDT against infections and cancer. Their potential in environmental and biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering photoremediation and photochemistry, is also discussed.

Functional Supramolecular Gels Based on the Hierarchical Assembly of Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines

Supramolecular gels containing porphyrins and phthalocyanines motifs are attracting increased interests in a wide range of research areas. Based on the supramolecular gels systems, porphyrin or phthalocyanines can form assemblies with plentiful nanostructures, dynamic, and stimuli-responsive properties. And these π-conjugated molecular building blocks also afford supramolecular gels with many new features, depending on their photochemical and electrochemical characteristics. As one of the most characteristic models, the supramolecular chirality of these soft matters was investigated. Notably, the application of supramolecular gels containing porphyrins and phthalocyanines has been developed in the field of catalysis, molecular sensing, biological imaging, drug delivery and photodynamic therapy. And some photoelectric devices were also fabricated depending on the gelation of porphyrins or phthalocyanines. This paper presents an overview of the progress achieved in this issue along with some perspectives for further advances.

A phototherapeutic fluorescent β-cyclodextrin branched polymer delivering nitric oxide

A water soluble b-CD-branched polymer covalently binds a fluorescein moiety for imaging and a NO photodonor for therapy that can be operated in parallel upon visible light excitation.

A facile preparation method for new two-component supramolecular hydrogels and their performances in adsorption, catalysis, and stimuli-response

In this study, we prepared a novel multifunctional two-component supramolecular hydrogel (T-G hydrogel) via two organic molecules in ethanol/water mixed solvents. In addition, we prepared gold nanoparticle/T-G (AuNPs/T-G) composite hydrogels using T-G hydrogel as a template for stabilizing AuNPs by adding HAuCl₄ and NaBH₄ during the heating and cooling process of T-G hydrogels. The morphology and microstructure of the as-prepared hydrogels were characterized using SEM, TEM, XRD, and FT-IR. The hydrogels prepared by solutions that contained different ethanol/water volume ratios exhibited different microstructures, such as sheets, strips, and rods. The obtained T-G hydrogels exhibited a sensitive response to pH changes in the process of sol–gel transformation and showed good adsorption properties for model organic dyes. In the presence of NaBH₄, the obtained AuNP/T-G composite hydrogels exhibited the excellent catalytic performance for 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) degradation. Thus, the current research provides new clues in developing new multifunctional two-component supramolecular gel materials and exhibits potential applications for wastewater treatment.

New two-component supramolecular hydrogels were prepared via a self-assembly process, demonstrating potential applications in adsorption and catalysis as well as sensor materials.

Combination of PDT photosensitizers with NO photodononors

Combination of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with other treatment modalities is emerging as one of the most suitable strategies to increase the effectiveness of therapeutic action on cancer and bacterial diseases and to minimize side effects. This approach aims at exploiting the additive/synergistic effects arising from multiple therapeutic species acting on different mechanistic pathways. The coupling of PDT with photocontrolled release of nitric oxide (NO) through the appropriate assembly of PDT photosensitizers (PSs) and NO photodonors (NOPDs) may open up intriguing avenues towards new and still underexplored multimodal therapies not based on "conventional" drugs but entirely controlled by light stimuli. In this contribution, we present an overview of the most recent advances in this field, illustrating several strategies to assemble PSs and NOPDs allowing them to operate independently without reciprocal interferences and describing the potential applications with particular emphasis on their impact in anticancer and antibacterial research.

Use of Cyclodextrins in Anticancer Photodynamic Therapy Treatment

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is mainly used to destroy cancerous cells; it combines the action of three components: a photoactivatable molecule or photosensitizer (PS), the light of an appropriate wavelength, and naturally occurring molecular oxygen. After light excitation of the PS, the excited PS then reacts with molecular oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to cellular damage. One of the drawbacks of PSs is their lack of solubility in water and body tissue fluids, thereby causing low bioavailability, drug-delivery efficiency, therapeutic efficacy, and ROS production. To improve the water-solubility and/or drug delivery of PSs, using cyclodextrins (CDs) is an interesting strategy. This review describes the in vitro or/and in vivo use of natural and derived CDs to improve antitumoral PDT efficiency in aqueous media. To achieve these goals, three types of binding modes of PSs with CDs are developed: non-covalent CD⁻PS inclusion complexes, covalent CD⁻PS conjugates, and CD⁻PS nanoassemblies. This review is divided into three parts: (1) non-covalent CD-PS inclusion complexes, covalent CD⁻PS conjugates, and CD⁻PS nanoassemblies, (2) incorporating CD⁻PS systems into hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) using up-converting or other types of NPs, and (3) CDs with fullerenes as PSs.

Porphyrinoid biohybrid materials as an emerging toolbox for biomedical light management

The present article reviews the most important developing strategies in light-induced nanomedicine, based on the combination of porphyrinoid photosensitizers with a wide variety of biomolecules and biomolecular assemblies.

Use of Photosensitizers in Semisolid Formulations for Microbial Photodynamic Inactivation

Semisolid formulations, such as gels, creams and ointments, have recently contributed to the progression of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and microbial photodynamic inactivation (PDI) in clinical applications. The most important challenges facing this field are the physicochemical properties of photosensitizers (PSs), optimal drug release profiles, and the photosensitivity of surrounding tissues. By further integration of nanotechnology with semisolid formulations, very promising pharmaceuticals have been generated against several dermatological diseases (PDT) and (antibiotic-resistant) pathogenic microorganisms (PDI). This review focuses on the different PSs and their associated semisolid formulations currently found in both the market and clinical trials that are used in PDT/PDI. Special emphasis is placed on the advantages that the semisolid formulations bring to drug delivery in PDI. Lastly, some potential considerations for improvement in this field are also discussed.

Developments in PDT Sensitizers for Increased Selectivity and Singlet Oxygen Production

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally-invasive procedure that has been clinically approved for treating certain types of cancers. This procedure takes advantage of the cytotoxic activity of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by visible and NIR light irradiation of dye sensitizers following their accumulation in malignant cells. The main two concerns associated with certain clinically-used PDT sensitizers that have been influencing research in this arena are low selectivity toward malignant cells and low levels of ¹O₂ production in aqueous media. Solving the selectivity issue would compensate for photosensitizer concerns such as dark toxicity and aggregation in aqueous media. One main approach to enhancing dye selectivity involves taking advantage of key methods used in pharmaceutical drug delivery. This approach lies at the heart of the recent developments in PDT research and is a point of emphasis in the present review. Of particular interest has been the development of polymeric micelles as nanoparticles for delivering hydrophobic (lipophilic) and amphiphilic photosensitizers to the target cells. This review also covers methods employed to increase ¹O₂ production efficiency, including the design of two-photon absorbing sensitizers and triplet forming cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes.

Photoactivable platforms for nitric oxide delivery with fluorescence imaging

The multifaceted role nitric oxide (NO) plays in human physiology and pathophysiology has stimulated a massive interest on NO-releasing compounds for therapeutic purposes. A main issue associated with use of NO donors is the precise spatiotemporal control of the NO release, as its effects are strictly site- and dose-dependent. NO photochemical precursors permit surmounting this difficulty since triggering with light offers an exquisite control of location and timing of NO delivery. On the other hand, the combination of NO photodonors with fluorescent components remains an urgent need for image-guided phototherapeutic treatments based on the use of NO. Fluorescence techniques permit not only an easy tracking of the photoprecursor in a biological environment but also the real-time quantification of the NO photoreleased therein in a non-invasive fashion. In this Focus Review we seek to provide an overview of recent advances in photoactivable platforms developed in our and other laboratories which combine the photoregulated release of NO with fluorescent functionalities. We shall focus attention on NO photoreleasing systems exhibiting 1) persistent fluorescence and 2) photoactivable fluorescence signals, highlighting their logical design and potential developments for phototheranostics.

Multi-responsive Hydrogels Derived from the Self-assembly of Tethered Allyl-functionalized Racemic Oligopeptides

A multi-responsive triblock hydrogelator oligo(dl-allylglycine)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-oligo(dl-allylglycine) (ODLAG-b-PEG-b-ODLAG) was synthesized facilely by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of DLAG N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) with a diamino-terminated PEG as the macroinitiator. This system exhibited heat-induced sol-to-gel transitions and either sonication- or enzyme-induced gel-to-sol transitions. The β-sheeting of the oligopeptide segments was confirmed by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). The β-sheets further displayed tertiary ordering into fibrillar structures that, in turn generated a porous and interconnected hydrogel matrix, as observed via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The reversible macroscopic sol-to-gel transitions triggered by heat and gel-to-sol transitions triggered by sonication were correlated with the transformation of nanostructural morphologies, with fibrillar structures observed in gel and spherical aggregates in sol, respectively. The enzymatic breakdown of the hydrogels was also investigated. This allyl-functionalized hydrogelator can serve as a platform for the design of smart hydrogels, appropriate for expansion into biological systems as bio-functional and bio-responsive materials.