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Injectable Supramolecular Polymer-Nanoparticle Hydrogels for Cell and Drug Delivery Applications
Published on: February 7, 2021
Hydrogel-based delivery systems for cutaneous melanoma therapy: from chemical design and crosslinking strategies to
Yunying Wu1, Wei Zheng1, Xiao Li1
1School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University Nanchang 330013 Jiangxi China zding888@126.com zhenhuachen@jxstnu.edu.cn.
Abstract:
Cutaneous melanoma, a malignant neoplasm originating from melanocytes, has exhibited a steadily rising incidence worldwide. Conventional therapeutic strategies often suffer from limited precision, resulting in significant off-target toxicity or failure to prevent disease recurrence. Hydrogels have emerged as a promising platform for localized drug delivery in cutaneous melanoma treatment, owing to their chemically designable three-dimensional networks, tunable crosslinking strategies, and excellent biocompatibility. These structural features enable controlled, on-demand release kinetics and responsiveness to the tumour microenvironment, thereby facilitating multimodal therapy such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, phototherapy, immunotherapy, and chemodynamic therapy, with enhanced therapeutic efficacy and reduced systemic toxicity. This review systematically examines the chemical composition and crosslinking strategies underpinning hydrogel design, with an emphasis on how these structural parameters influence therapeutic outcomes. Recent advances in tumour microenvironment-responsive hydrogels are further highlighted to elucidate the structure-activity relationships that inform the rational design of next-generation drug delivery systems.
Insights
Hydrogels offer advanced localized drug delivery for cutaneous melanoma, improving treatment precision and reducing side effects. This review explores hydrogel design for enhanced multimodal cancer therapies.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Oncology
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Cutaneous melanoma incidence is rising globally, with conventional treatments facing limitations in precision and efficacy.
- Existing therapies often cause significant off-target toxicity or fail to prevent melanoma recurrence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review hydrogel design for cutaneous melanoma treatment.
- To emphasize the influence of chemical composition and crosslinking strategies on therapeutic outcomes.
- To highlight advances in tumor microenvironment-responsive hydrogels for next-generation drug delivery.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of literature on hydrogel-based drug delivery for cutaneous melanoma.
- Analysis of chemical composition and crosslinking strategies in hydrogel design.
- Examination of structure-activity relationships in tumor microenvironment-responsive hydrogels.
Main Results:
- Hydrogels provide a versatile platform for localized drug delivery in melanoma treatment.
- Tunable hydrogel properties enable controlled release kinetics and responsiveness to the tumor microenvironment.
- Hydrogels facilitate multimodal therapies including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, phototherapy, immunotherapy, and chemodynamic therapy, enhancing efficacy and reducing toxicity.
Conclusions:
- Hydrogel design, focusing on composition and crosslinking, is crucial for optimizing cutaneous melanoma therapy.
- Tumor microenvironment-responsive hydrogels represent a promising strategy for advanced, localized cancer treatment.
- Understanding structure-activity relationships will guide the development of next-generation hydrogel-based drug delivery systems for melanoma.
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