The development of biocompatible and biodegradable drug delivery systems remains a major challenge in cancer therapy, particularly for the localized and sustained release of poorly soluble, unstable, and highly toxic compounds. 7‐Ethyl‐10‐hydroxycamptothecin (SN‐38), the active metabolite of irinotecan, offers superior anticancer efficacy but suffers from the aforementioned drawbacks, limiting its clinical use. The use of its prodrug, irinotecan, improves its solubility and stability and is the treatment of choice for many types of malignancies, though its systemic administration in cancer patients leads to significant side effects due to off‐target exposure. Here, a bio‐inspired, implantable biopolymeric platform based on crosslinked chitosan for localized and sustained SN‐38 delivery is presented. Engineered using 3D printed molds into a gyroid architecture, the implants provide sustained SN‐38 release over 90 days in vitro with partial biodegradation in vitro. In vivo studies using HCT116 human colorectal cancer xenografts demonstrate significant tumor growth inhibition without evidence of systemic toxicity by under the conditions tested. This platform showcases a functional materials approach to overcome key limitations in conventional drug delivery technologies and supports the feasibility of localized chemotherapy delivery to solid tumors.
Conductive hydrogels have emerged as promising materials for soft tissue interfacing by combining tissue-like mechanical compliance with electrical conductivity, thereby enabling improved electrical communication with electroactive biological tissues. This work presents an electroconductive composite hydrogel fabricated via light-based vat-polymerization by integrating a choline-based bio-ionic liquid (IL) with gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA). The resulting hydrogels demonstrate tunable conductivity, structural integrity, and high print fidelity when fabricated using digital light processing (DLP) light-based 3D printing. Electrical conductivity was optimized at 20% v/v IL concentration, with the hydrogels demonstrating stable performance for over 28 days. A food-grade photoabsorber was integrated into the formulation to improve DLP resolution and was effectively removed after printing process. The hydrogels supported the human mesenchymal stem cells' viability and proliferation, confirming their cytocompatibility. They also promoted enhanced maturation of primary neurons, demonstrating a supportive microenvironment for neural cells. In vivo implantation of indocyanine green-loaded hydrogels exhibited sustained stability and robust retention of signal over a period of 4 weeks, with histological analysis indicating seamless integration with surrounding tissues. Impedance spectroscopy at both gut and spinal cord interfaces illustrated that GelMA/IL composites achieved the lowest impedance across a range of frequencies, outperforming both GelMA-only and tissue-only conditions. Collectively, these findings position light-based vat-polymerized electroconductive composites as a promising platform for the development of anatomically conformal materials tailored for soft tissue interfacing.
Kamil Elkhoury, Jiarui Zhou, Sadaf Usmani et al.· International Journal of Bio...· 0 citations
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