[Study on effect of ROS-responsive hydrogel containing sodium tanshinone Ⅱ_A sulfonate and salvianolic acid B on...

This paper constructed a reactive oxygen species(ROS)-responsive hydrogel loaded with sodium tanshinone Ⅱ_A sulfonate(STS) and salvianolic acid B(SAB) and evaluated its therapeutic effect on hypertrophic scars. A hydrogel was prepared by using hyaluronic acid(HA) and polyvinyl alcohol(PVA) bridged by phenylboronic acid(PBA) as the matrix with two drugs physically encapsulated inside. Its structure, rheological properties, and drug release behavior were characterized. Scar models of rabbit ears were established and divided into a blank control group, a model group, an asiaticoside cream group, a regular drug-loaded hydrogel group, and a drug-loaded ROS-responsive hydrogel group. After 21 days of intervention, the net increased thickness of the car was detected. The tissue morphology was detected by using hematoxylin-eosin and Masson staining. The expressions of α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) and collagen-Ⅰ(COL-Ⅰ) were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the levels of transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1(TIMP-1), matrix metallopeptidase-9(MMP-9), ROS, and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine(8-OHdG) were assessed. The results show that, compared to those in the model group, the net increased thickness of scar, TGF-β1, TIMP-1, ROS, 8-OHdG, α-SMA, and COL-Ⅰ in each treatment group were significantly reduced(P<0.05), while MMP-9 levels were increased(P<0.05), and the improvement effect in the drug-loaded ROS-responsive hydrogel group was better than that in the regular drug-loaded hydrogel group(P<0.05). These findings indicate that the hydrogel can achieve smart drug release and significantly inhibit scar formation, providing a new strategy for treatment.