Dual Chemotherapeutic Loading in Oxalate Transferrin-Conjugated Polymersomes Incorporated into Chitosan Hydrogels for Site-Specific Targeting of Melanoma Cells.

ABSTRACT: In this work, we developed a smart drug delivery system composed of poly (ethylene glycol)-block-poly (ε-caprolactone) (PEG-PCL)-based polymersomes (Ps) loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) and vemurafenib (VEM). To enhance targeted delivery to malignant melanoma cells, these drug-loaded nanovesicles were conjugated to the oxalate transferrin variant (oxalate Tf) and incorporated into three-dimensional chitosan hydrogels. This innovative approach represents the first application of oxalate Tf for the precision delivery of drug-loaded polymersomes within a semi-solid dosage form based on chitosan hydrogels. These resulting semi-solids exhibited a sustained release profile for both encapsulated drugs. To evaluate their potency, we compared the cytotoxicity of native Tf-Ps with oxalate Tf-Ps.

SUBMITTER: Aranha MC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11434979 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature