Stimulated Drug Release to Human Melanoma Cell Line Using NIR-responsive PLGA Microparticles

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Cancer Therapy

Background:

• Stimulated on-demand drug release is crucial for effective melanoma treatment, aiming for targeted therapy with reduced side effects.
• Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles (MPs) are a cost-effective, biocompatible platform for drug delivery systems.
• Incorporating near-infrared (NIR)-responsive agents like indocyanine green (ICG) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) enables on-demand drug release.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize PLGA microparticles for on-demand drug release in melanoma treatment.
• To evaluate the efficacy of NIR-responsive agents within PLGA MPs for targeted cancer therapy.
• To assess the cytotoxicity and drug release profile of the developed microparticle system.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of PLGA microparticles using the emulsion method.
• Incorporation of NIR-responsive agents (ICG and AgNPs) into PLGA MPs.
• Characterization of MPs size, drug entrapment efficiency, and cytotoxicity assays.
• Evaluation of drug release kinetics under NIR light stimulation.

Main Results:

• PLGA MPs were successfully fabricated with an average size of approximately 20 microns.
• NIR-responsive agents (ICG) generated heat upon NIR light exposure, causing a detrimental effect on A375 melanoma cells.
• While MPs without NIR stimulation showed minimal release, NIR light exposure was necessary to induce significant cell death, indicating controlled on-demand release.

Conclusions:

• Emulsion-fabricated PLGA MPs incorporating NIR-responsive agents represent a promising strategy for on-demand drug delivery in melanoma.
• The developed system demonstrates good entrapment efficiency and controlled release upon NIR stimulation, with minimal cytotoxicity in the absence of light.
• Future work may involve peptide coating for targeted delivery or additional biodegradable materials to further minimize premature release.