Precision Engineered Dissolving Microneedles Enable Green-Light Activated Chemo-Photodynamic Therapy for Psoriasis

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Dermatology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Psoriasis treatment is limited by monotherapy response and drug delivery challenges.
• Developing synergistic therapies with controlled activation is crucial for effective psoriasis management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a dissolving microneedle (MN) platform for synergistic photodynamic therapy (PDT) and chemotherapy in psoriasis.
• To overcome skin permeability barriers and achieve controlled drug activation for enhanced therapeutic outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of methotrexate (MTX) and 8-Phenyl-2,6-diiodo-1,3,5,7-tetramethyl BODIPY (I-BDP) co-loaded poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) MNs using projection microstereolithography (PμSL).
• In vitro evaluation of MNs for precise drug delivery, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation upon green-light irradiation, and synergistic effects on HaCaT cells.

Main Results:

• MTX/I-BDP@PVP MNs demonstrated efficient stratum corneum penetration and targeted drug delivery.
• Green-light activated I-BDP generated ROS, synergizing with MTX to induce significant apoptosis (82.4%) in HaCaT cells.
• The spatially confined activation minimized off-target damage to healthy tissues.

Conclusions:

• The developed MN platform offers a safe, controllable, and effective strategy for synergistic psoriasis treatment.
• This approach holds promise for treating psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions by overcoming current therapeutic limitations.