Long-acting sustained-release PVA/chitosan dual-network hydrogel microspheres with high drug-loading capacity for anticancer therapy
摘要
Polymer-based drug-loaded microspheres emerged as prevalent clinical modalities, exemplified by transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and composite wound dressings, leveraging their sub-millimeter dimensions for versatile therapeutic deployment and targeted delivery. However, inherent limitations persist, including constrained drug loading capacity, rapid drug release kinetics, and non-degradability, thereby precluding the feasibility of repeat interventions. Based on these considerations, this study proposes a novel microsphere construction strategy that utilizes anionic monomer 2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS)-modified polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the primary raw material and incorporates cationic modified chitosan quaternary ammonium salt (QCS) to form a double-network microsphere. Owing to the abundant dynamic ionic interactions and the synergistic integration of soft and rigid molecular chains within the gel matrix, the resulting microsphere exhibits excellent mechanical properties, including a compressive deformation resistance exceeding 70%, high drug loading capacity, and prolonged sustained-release performance. When loaded with the cationic anticancer drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) and the antibacterial agent polyhexamethylene biguanide hydrochloride (PHMB), the microspheres achieved loading concentrations of 100.31 mg/mL and 132.25 mg/mL, respectively, with sustained release lasting over 12 days. In a rabbit hepatic artery embolization experiment, DOX-loaded microspheres effectively occluded blood flow and induced liver necrosis, thereby confirming their superior embolic performance. These features collectively demonstrate the promising application potential of this microsphere in the biomedical field.