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Updated: Jun 10, 2025
3D Printed Porous Cellulose Nanocomposite Hydrogel Scaffolds
Published on: April 24, 2019
3D-Printed hydrogel scaffolds with drug- and stem cell-laden core/shell filaments for cancer therapy and soft tissue
Ping Xia1, Chunyang Liu2,3, Xiaoyue Wei3
1People's Hospital of Longhua Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China, 518109.
Abstract:
Treatment of local tumor recurrence and repair of the tissue defects after tumorectomy still remain clinical challenges. Currently, controlled release of therapeutic drugs is one of the widely used approaches to kill the residual and recurrent cancer cells, and stem cell-laden hydrogel scaffolds are promising candidates for soft tissue repair. However, hydrogel scaffolds with the bifunction of controlled release of therapeutic drugs for cancer therapy and loading stem cells for tissue repair are still not well established. In this study, we fabricated a biphasic hydrogel scaffold containing two types of core/shell filaments with drugs and stem cells loaded in the core part of these two filaments. Black phosphorus nanosheets were added to alginate (the shell layer) in the drug-loaded filament, endowing the scaffold with a photothermal effect under near infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. Moreover, NIR could trigger the drug release from the core/shell filaments to achieve photothermal-chemotherapy of cancer. Additionally, stem cells embedded in the core parts of the other filaments could maintain high cell viability due to the protection of the shell layer (pure alginate), which promoted soft tissue regeneration in vivo. Thus, the prepared biphasic scaffold with drug- and stem cell-laden core/shell filaments may be a potential candidate to fill the tissue defects after the surgical resection of tumors to kill the residual and recurrent cancer and repair the tissue defects.
Insights
This study presents a novel biphasic hydrogel scaffold that combines photothermal-chemotherapy for cancer and stem cells for tissue repair. This dual-action scaffold effectively targets residual tumors and promotes healing in tissue defects.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Cancer Therapy
Background:
- Treating local tumor recurrence and repairing tissue defects post-tumorectomy are significant clinical challenges.
- Controlled drug release and stem cell-laden hydrogels show promise for cancer therapy and tissue repair, respectively.
- Bifunctional hydrogels integrating both capabilities are underdeveloped.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a biphasic hydrogel scaffold capable of controlled drug release for cancer therapy and stem cell delivery for tissue regeneration.
- To investigate the scaffold's potential for photothermal-chemotherapy and in vivo tissue repair.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a biphasic hydrogel scaffold with core/shell filaments.
- Loading therapeutic drugs and stem cells into the core of separate filaments.
- Incorporating black phosphorus nanosheets into the shell of drug-loaded filaments for photothermal effects.
- Utilizing near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation for triggered drug release and photothermal-chemotherapy.
Main Results:
- The scaffold demonstrated controlled drug release upon NIR irradiation, enabling photothermal-chemotherapy.
- Stem cells within the scaffold maintained high viability, protected by the alginate shell.
- The scaffold promoted in vivo soft tissue regeneration.
Conclusions:
- The developed biphasic hydrogel scaffold offers a promising dual approach for treating residual cancer and repairing tissue defects.
- This innovative scaffold holds potential for managing local tumor recurrence and associated tissue damage after surgery.
