ROS-Responsive 4D Printable Acrylic Thioether-Based Hydrogels for Smart Drug Release

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in diseases like cancer, necessitating targeted therapies.
• ROS-responsive polymers offer potential for engineering smart hydrogels for localized treatment.
• Existing materials may lack specific responsiveness or optimal properties for drug delivery applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel thioether-based ROS-responsive monomers (EGSA) for hydrogel development.
• To fabricate and characterize EGSA-based hydrogels for 4D printing and drug delivery.
• To evaluate the ROS-responsive drug release and in vitro efficacy of these hydrogels against cancer cells.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of ethylene glycol/thioether acrylate (EGSA) monomers via thiol-Michael addition.
• Photopolymerization of EGSA monomers and copolymerization with 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA).
• Characterization of hydrogel properties (mechanical, swelling) and drug release kinetics (5-fluorouracil).
• In vitro evaluation of hydrogel efficacy on B16F10 melanoma cells.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized ROS-responsive EGSA monomers and fabricated photopolymerizable hydrogels.
• EGSA-HEA copolymer hydrogels exhibited enhanced stability and tunable swelling in response to hydrogen peroxide.
• Sustained release of 5-fluorouracil was achieved, modulated by ROS levels.
• In vitro studies demonstrated significant inhibition of B16F10 melanoma cell growth.

Conclusions:

• Developed novel ROS-responsive hydrogels with tunable properties for controlled drug delivery.
• The hydrogels show significant potential for targeted cancer therapy, particularly for localized pathologies.
• The material's responsiveness to ROS and its efficacy against melanoma cells highlight its therapeutic promise.