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Responsive Hydrogel Microcarrier-Integrated Microneedles for Versatile and Controllable Drug Delivery
Lu Fan1,2, Xiaoxuan Zhang1,2, Xiaoyu Liu2,3
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Institute of Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China.
Advanced Healthcare Materials
|March 10, 2021
Summary
This study introduces photoresponsive drug delivery microspheres integrated into microneedle arrays for controlled drug release. This novel system effectively delivers insulin to manage blood glucose in diabetic mice.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Effective drug delivery is crucial for disease treatment.
- Current methods face challenges in control and efficiency.
- Microneedle arrays offer potential for transdermal drug delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, versatile, and controllable drug delivery system.
- To integrate photoresponsive drug delivery microspheres (PDDMs) into microneedle (MN) arrays.
- To demonstrate the system's efficacy in delivering insulin for diabetic treatment.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized PDDMs using a capillary microfluidic method, incorporating black phosphorus (BP) and poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM).
- Loaded PDDMs into porous ethoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate (ETPTA) microneedle arrays.
- Utilized near-infrared (NIR) light to trigger drug release from PDDMs.
Main Results:
- The PDDMs exhibited high water content for bioactive loading and NIR-triggered shrinkage for drug release.
- The PDDMs-MNs system demonstrated mechanical strength for skin penetration and uniform drug delivery.
- Controlled insulin release from PDDMs-MNs effectively adjusted blood glucose levels in diabetic mice.
Conclusions:
- The developed PDDMs-MNs system offers a promising platform for controllable and efficient drug delivery.
- This technology has significant potential for clinical applications in managing chronic diseases like diabetes.
- The integration of photoresponsive materials with microneedle technology opens new avenues in biomedical engineering.
