Issue 5, 2024

A photoarchitectonic hydrogel for synergistic in vitro chemo–phototherapy of breast cancer

Abstract

Currently, combinatorial therapy has evoked interest in cancer treatment, and may promote achieving a synergistic effect using cancer medicines. Laser-assisted and pH-responsive therapies have attracted significant attention, and their combination leads to high efficiency cancer treatment. Herein, we developed a chemo–phototherapeutic hydrogel comprised of doxorubicin (DOX, a chemotherapeutic drug) and zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc, a phototherapeutic drug) for combinatorial and synergistic treatment of breast cancer. Firstly, we have developed carbon dots (CDs, size of ∼5 nm) utilizing lignin and folic acid as biocompatible sources. Then doxorubicin was loaded on the surface of the carbon dots via conjugation (DOX@CDs). Later on, zinc phthalocyanine and acrylic acid derivatives were utilized to develop a laser-responsive hydrogel (ZnPc-PP H). Afterward, doxorubicin-conjugated carbon dots were incorporated into the photoarchitectonic hydrogel to develop a chemo–phototherapeutic drug-loaded hydrogel (DOX@CDs–ZnPc-PP H). Subsequently, the in vitro pH-triggering experiments demonstrated that the hydrogel loaded with both DOX and ZnPc could release the drugs in an acidic environment. Interestingly, in vitro assays confirmed that DOX@CDs–ZnPc-PP H could effectively target breast cancer cells (MCF-7). Furthermore, the developed chemo–phototherapeutic hydrogel exhibited non-cytotoxic behavior. Owing to laser assisted reactive oxygen species generation from ZnPc present in the hydrogel, the growth of MCF-7 cells was significantly lowered. In conclusion, all experimental outcomes indicate that the photoarchitectonic hydrogel has the potential to be applied in synergistic chemo- and photodynamic therapy of cancer.

Graphical abstract: A photoarchitectonic hydrogel for synergistic in vitro chemo–phototherapy of breast cancer

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 10 2023
Accepted
20 12 2023
First published
02 1 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Mater. Adv., 2024,5, 1903-1916

A photoarchitectonic hydrogel for synergistic in vitro chemo–phototherapy of breast cancer

S. Paul, B. Yadav, M. D. Patil, A. K. Pujari, U. Singh, V. Rishi and J. Bhaumik, Mater. Adv., 2024, 5, 1903 DOI: 10.1039/D3MA00900A

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