Design of injectable agar-based composite hydrogel for multi-mode tumor therapy

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Oncology

Background:

• Current cancer therapies often lack specificity and can cause systemic side effects.
• Developing localized drug delivery systems is crucial for improving treatment efficacy and reducing toxicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design an injectable hydrogel for concurrent photothermal therapy and chemotherapy.
• To evaluate the hydrogel's drug retention, imaging capabilities, and therapeutic efficiency.
• To investigate the potential for on-demand drug release and antibiotic co-delivery.

Main Methods:

• Dissolving Molybdenum disulfide/Bismuth(III) sulfide-Polyethylene glycol (MoS2/Bi2S3-PEG) nanosheets, doxorubicin, and agar in water.
• Intra-tumoral injection of the solution, forming a hydrogel upon cooling to body temperature.
• Encapsulation of therapeutic agents and assessment of hydrogel properties and in-vivo performance.

Main Results:

• The Agar/MBP/DOX (AMD) hydrogel effectively retained nanosheets and doxorubicin, preventing systemic leakage.
• The hydrogel maintained photoacoustic and computed tomography imaging capabilities.
• Photothermal heating by MBP nanosheets promoted on-demand doxorubicin release, enhancing therapeutic outcomes.
• Co-encapsulation of antibiotics was feasible for preventing post-surgical wound infections.

Conclusions:

• The developed injectable AMD hydrogel is a promising platform for localized and concurrent tumor photothermal therapy and chemotherapy.
• The hydrogel facilitates controlled drug release, imaging, and potential infection prevention, improving cancer treatment strategies.