Tumor Microenvironment-Responsive 6-Mercaptopurine-Releasing Injectable Hydrogel for Colon Cancer Treatment

Sungjun Kim, Wonjeong Lee, Heewon Park, Kyobum Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Colon cancer is a significant health concern. The development of effective drug delivery systems is critical for improving treatment outcomes. In this study, we developed a drug delivery system for colon cancer treatment by embedding 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), an anticancer drug, in a thiolated gelatin/polyethylene glycol diacrylate hydrogel (6MP-GPGel). The 6MP-GPGel continuously released 6-MP, the anticancer drug. The release rate of 6-MP was further accelerated in an acidic or glutathione environment that mimicked a tumor microenvironment. In addition, when pure 6-MP was used for treatment, cancer cells proliferated again from day 5, whereas a continuous supply of 6-MP from the 6MP-GPGel continuously suppressed the survival rate of cancer cells. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that embedding 6-MP in a hydrogel formulation can improve the efficacy of colon cancer treatment and may serve as a promising minimally invasive and localized drug delivery system for future development.

Original languageEnglish
Article number319
JournalGels
Volume9
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2023

Keywords

  • 6-mercaptopurine
  • anticancer
  • colon cancer
  • drug delivery system
  • hydrogel

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