Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2025
Electroactive Polymer Nanoparticles Exhibiting Photothermal Properties
Published on: January 8, 2016
Redox/NIR dual-responsive glutathione extended polyurethane urea electrospun membranes for synergistic
Annalisa Martorana1, Giorgia Puleo2, Giovanni Carlo Miceli3
1Department of Biological, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, Palermo, Italy; Fondazione Ri.MED, c/o IRCCS ISMETT, via E. Tricomi 5, 90127, Palermo, Italy(2).
Abstract:
Despite advancements in cancer treatments, therapies frequently exhibit high cytotoxicity, and surgery remains the predominant method for treating most solid tumors, often with limited success in preventing post-surgical recurrence. Implantable biomaterials, designed to release drugs at a localised site in response to specific stimuli, represent a promising approach for enhancing tumour therapy. In this study, a redox-responsive glutathione extended polyurethane urea (PolyCEGS) was used to produce paclitaxel (PTX) and gold nanorods (AuNRs) loaded electrospun membranes for combined redox/near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive release chemotherapy and hyperthermic effect. Electrospinning conditions were optimized to fabricate AuNR-loaded scaffolds, at three different AuNRs concentrations. The obtained membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses and photothermal profiles were evaluated by a thermocamera, showing a temperature increase, up to 42.5 °C, when exposed to NIR light (810 nm) at 3 W/cm2. The AuNRs/PTX loaded scaffolds exhibited sustained PTX release, with 15 % released over 30 days and almost 1.8 times more in a simulated reductive environment. Moreover, their excellent photothermal effects and NIR light-triggered release led to significant synergic cytotoxicity in human colon cancer (HCT-116) and human breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines. This system potentially enables controllable locoregional PTX release at the tumour site post-surgery, preventing recurrence and enhancing cytotoxicity through combined drug and PTT effects, highlighting its potential for future anticancer treatments.
Insights
This study developed smart biomaterial membranes that release chemotherapy drugs and use near-infrared light for heat therapy. This combined approach shows promise for treating solid tumors and preventing cancer recurrence after surgery.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Oncology
Background:
- Cancer therapies often have high cytotoxicity and limited success in preventing post-surgical recurrence.
- Implantable, stimulus-responsive biomaterials offer a promising strategy for localized tumor treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate redox- and near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive electrospun membranes for combined chemotherapy and photothermal therapy.
- To investigate the controlled release of paclitaxel (PTX) and the photothermal effect of gold nanorods (AuNRs) for enhanced cancer treatment.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of AuNRs and PTX-loaded polyurethane urea (PolyCEGS) electrospun membranes.
- Characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and evaluation of photothermal profiles with a thermocamera.
- Assessment of PTX release kinetics in reductive environments and in vitro cytotoxicity assays.
Main Results:
- Optimized electrospinning produced uniform AuNR-loaded scaffolds with a temperature increase up to 42.5°C upon NIR light exposure.
- Sustained PTX release was observed over 30 days, with significantly higher release in a simulated reductive environment.
- Combined photothermal and chemotherapy demonstrated significant synergistic cytotoxicity against colon (HCT-116) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines.
Conclusions:
- The developed PolyCEGS membranes offer a dual-responsive system for localized drug delivery and photothermal therapy.
- This approach enables controllable, localized chemotherapy and enhances tumor cell killing through combined chemo-photothermal effects.
- The system holds potential for post-surgical cancer treatment to prevent recurrence and improve therapeutic outcomes.
