pH-Responsive doxorubicin delivery using shear-thinning biomaterials for localized melanoma treatment

Nanoscale. 2022 Jan 6;14(2):350-360. doi: 10.1039/d1nr05738c.

Abstract

Injectable shear-thinning biomaterials (STBs) have attracted significant attention because of their efficient and localized delivery of cells as well as various molecules ranging from growth factors to drugs. Recently, electrostatic interaction-based STBs, including gelatin/LAPONITE® nanocomposites, have been developed through a simple assembly process and show outstanding shear-thinning properties and injectability. However, the ability of different compositions of gelatin and LAPONITE® to modulate doxorubicin (DOX) delivery at different pH values to enhance the effectiveness of topical skin cancer treatment is still unclear. Here, we fabricated injectable STBs using gelatin and LAPONITE® to investigate the influence of LAPONITE®/gelatin ratio on mechanical characteristics, capacity for DOX release in response to different pH values, and cytotoxicity toward malignant melanoma. The release profile analysis of various compositions of DOX-loaded STBs under different pH conditions revealed that lower amounts of LAPONITE® (6NC25) led to higher pH-responsiveness capable of achieving a localized, controlled, and sustained release of DOX in an acidic tumor microenvironment. Moreover, we showed that 6NC25 had a lower storage modulus and required lower injection forces compared to those with higher LAPONITE® ratios. Furthermore, DOX delivery analysis in vitro and in vivo demonstrated that DOX-loaded 6NC25 could efficiently target subcutaneous malignant tumors via DOX-induced cell death and growth restriction.

MeSH terms

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Gelatin
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Melanoma* / drug therapy
  • Nanoparticles*
  • Tumor Microenvironment

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Doxorubicin
  • Gelatin