Mechanically Responsive Organic-Inorganic Hybrid as Advanced Delivery Vehicle for Targeted Cancer Treatment

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanomedicine
• Oncology

Background:

• Cancer therapy resistance necessitates advanced drug delivery systems.
• Current chemotherapy faces limitations due to intrinsic cellular defenses and systemic toxicity.
• Precision-controlled drug release is crucial for improving treatment efficacy and patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, flexible nanohybrid for targeted tumor drug delivery.
• To enhance the mechanical properties and drug release kinetics of layered double hydroxide (LDH) materials.
• To evaluate the anticancer efficacy and biocompatibility of the modified nanohybrid in vitro and in vivo.

Main Methods:

• Surface modification of Li-Al-based layered double hydroxide (LDH) with polyurethane (PU).
• Characterization of mechanical properties (elongation at break) and drug loading/release profiles.
• In vitro and in vivo studies using doxorubicin (Dox) in melanoma models, including DFT analysis.

Main Results:

• The polyurethane-grafted LDH (PU-LDH) nanohybrid exhibited exceptional flexibility (1230% elongation at break).
• PU grafting optimized the hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance for synchronized drug delivery.
• In vivo studies demonstrated significant biocompatibility and synergistic anticancer effects with reduced toxicity.

Conclusions:

• The flexible PU-LDH nanohybrid represents a significant advancement in injectable and implantable drug delivery systems.
• This multifunctional nanomedicine platform offers enhanced precision, stability, and patient compatibility for next-generation cancer therapies.
• The injectable hydrogel formulation effectively localized drug release, mitigating systemic chemotherapy side effects.