Materials Today Bio最新文献

{"title":"Novel anti-pyroptosis drug loaded on metal-organic framework for intervertebral disc degeneration therapy","authors":"Yekai Zhang ,&nbsp;Jiawei Qiu ,&nbsp;Yiji Chen ,&nbsp;Yu Chen ,&nbsp;Xiaopeng Liu ,&nbsp;Hanwen Zhang ,&nbsp;Hualin Li ,&nbsp;Kaiyu Li ,&nbsp;Haobo Ye ,&nbsp;Yaosen Wu ,&nbsp;Xiaolei Zhang ,&nbsp;Naifeng Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101729","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101729","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is the main cause of low back pain, pyroptosis is a major contributor to various diseases, including IVDD; however, there is currently no effective drugs targeting pyroptosis for therapy. In this study, we established pyroptosis model in nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) <em>in vitro</em> and searched pyroptosis inhibitors in FDA Medicine Library. High throughput screening study revealed that Pirfenidone (PFD) was the most effective pyroptosis inhibitor among 1500+ FDA drugs, which was confirmed by further experiments. As administering PFD alone may lead to poor efficacy due to short action time and low bioavailability, we designed a smart delivery system for PFD. A pH-responsive metal-organic framework (MOF), poly-His6-zinc (PHZ) assembly, loaded with PFD (PFD@PHZ) was designed for IVDD therapy. PHZ was shown to have excellent lysosomal escape properties and bioavailability of PFD. In addition, the release of PDF from PFD@PHZ could be triggered by the acidic microenvironment of degenerated intervertebral discs. PFD@PHZ was also shown to effectively inhibit pyroptosis, senescence, and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation in NPCs, both <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em>, thereby mitigating the progression of IVDD in rats. Thus, the current study shows PFD as a novel inhibitor for pyroptosis, and PFD@PHZ as a potential nanomaterial for efficient IVDD therapy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18310,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Bio","volume":"32 ","pages":"Article 101729"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143817109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inflammation resolution-based treatment of atherosclerosis using biomimetic nanocarriers loaded with specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators","authors":"Maria Anghelache ,&nbsp;Geanina Voicu ,&nbsp;Ruxandra Anton ,&nbsp;Florentina Safciuc ,&nbsp;Delia Boteanu ,&nbsp;Mariana Deleanu ,&nbsp;Mihaela Turtoi ,&nbsp;Maya Simionescu ,&nbsp;Ileana Manduteanu ,&nbsp;Manuela Calin","doi":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101733","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101733","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent studies have shown that chronic inflammation in atherosclerotic (ATH) lesions is due to an inability to resolve the inflammatory response. We evaluated the therapeutic potential of specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) incorporated into biomimetic lipid nanoemulsions covered with macrophage membranes (Bio-LN/SPMs) to enhance their stability, targeting, and bioactivity in resolving atherosclerotic plaque inflammation. We utilized both <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> experimental models to test this hypothesis. <em>In vitro,</em> we found that Bio-LN/SPMs significantly reduced the inflammatory markers VCAM-1, MCP-1 in TNF-α-activated endothelial and smooth muscle cells, and iNOS, and NLRP3 in LPS-activated macrophages. In contrast, free SPMs exhibited a more modest effect. <em>In vivo</em>, the i.v. administration of Bio-LN/SPMs in ApoE-deficient mice with progressive atherosclerotic lesions developed after administration for 4 and 8 weeks of a high-fat diet, reduced plasma triglycerides, improved renal function, and decreased plasma proteins associated with complement activation and inflammation (i.e. C4d, C5b-9, IL-6, and MCP-1) to a greater extent than other treatment groups. Bio-LN/SPMs also affected circulated monocyte subpopulations by increasing the percentage of anti-inflammatory Ly6C^low monocytes and reducing that of pro-inflammatory Ly6C^high monocytes. Additionally, they promoted the transition of macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques to a reparative M2 phenotype. They decreased the production of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 cytokines, along with lipid deposits in the aorta of ApoE-deficient mice. These findings demonstrate the improved therapeutic efficacy of Bio-LN/SPMs compared to unincorporated SPMs and standard nanoemulsions (LN/SPMs), emphasizing their potential as a novel approach for treating atherosclerosis and other inflammatory diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18310,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Bio","volume":"32 ","pages":"Article 101733"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143792312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of a decellularized extracellular matrix-derived wet adhesive for sustained drug delivery and enhanced wound healing","authors":"Xinming Wang,&nbsp;Haonan Zhang,&nbsp;Weichang Xie,&nbsp;Bei Qian,&nbsp;Shixing Huang,&nbsp;Qiang Zhao,&nbsp;Xiaofeng Ye","doi":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101734","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101734","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Complete tissue recovery following traumatic injury remains a major clinical challenge. While tissue adhesives show promise for managing traumatic injuries, developing materials with robust wet adhesion and high biocompatibility remains difficult. Decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived materials are widely utilized in tissue engineering due to their superior biocompatibility and bioactivity. In this study, a wet adhesive is developed by functionalizing ECM with dopamine. The resulting ECM-dopamine exhibits strong wet adhesion and excellent biocompatibility. Furthermore, ECM-dopamine can be engineered into a drug delivery platform for small agents and macromolecules. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are incorporated into ECM-dopamine to enable sustained release of small molecules. The ECM-dopamine-SLN system ensures sustained drug release for at least one week upon adhesion to target tissues. ECM-dopamine-SLN loaded with antimicrobials accelerates wound healing and promotes angiogenesis by modulating the inflammatory response in a mouse skin excision model. Additionally, ECM-dopamine can deliver bioactive macromolecules to injured tissue. ECM-dopamine loaded with insulin-like growth factor-1 promotes skeletal muscle regeneration in a mouse volumetric muscle loss model, likely through the modulation of M2-like macrophage polarization. The dual functionality of ECM-dopamine as both a wet adhesive and a drug delivery platform offers significant potential for regenerative medicine applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18310,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Bio","volume":"32 ","pages":"Article 101734"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143792310","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of a novel thermal/pH-responsive antibacterial paeoniflorin hydrogel crosslinked with amino acids for accelerated diabetic foot ulcers healing","authors":"Xintao Jia ,&nbsp;Zixuan Dou ,&nbsp;Ying Zhang ,&nbsp;Changxiang Yu ,&nbsp;Mengru Yang ,&nbsp;Haonan Xie ,&nbsp;Yun Lin ,&nbsp;Zhidong Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101736","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101736","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), a severe and common complication of diabetes, present significant treatment challenges due to the limitations of conventional dressings, such as poor mechanical properties, bioactivity, and limited functionality, which hinder fast and effective wound healing. To address these issues, we developed a novel natural amino acid-based hydrogel loaded with paeoniflorin (PF@PNMA1) and comprehensively evaluated its properties and functions. The nanogel particles (NGs) were synthesized via emulsion polymerization using N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), methacrylic acid (MAA), and chemically modified arginine (MArg). The poly(NIPAM-co-MAA) (PNM) and poly(NIPAM-co-MAA-co-MArg) (PNMA) gels were prepared by functionalizing the NGs with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA). The different concentrations of amino acids were added to explore the optimal mechanical properties of the gel. Through the rheological measurement, we found that PNMA1 gel has good ductile properties with a critical strain up to about 63 %. At the same time, we also verified its antibacterial activity and found that the viability of bacteria decreased to 47.46 % after 3 h. Preliminary tests using network pharmacology and molecular docking confirmed the therapeutic potential of PF for DFUs. The PF@PNMA1 gel demonstrated excellent biocompatibility, and in vivo experiments revealed its effectiveness in promoting angiogenesis and wound healing. After 10 days, the wound healing rate was 25.6 % higher than that of the control group. The PF@PNMA1 shows great potential as an effective therapy for DFUs treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18310,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Bio","volume":"32 ","pages":"Article 101736"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143792313","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bioactive deproteinized bovine bone mineral based on self-assembled albumin nanoparticles promoted bone regeneration via activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway","authors":"Ya-wen Zhu ,&nbsp;Yu-wen Wei ,&nbsp;Jing-yi Ma ,&nbsp;Wei Chen ,&nbsp;Zhe Shen ,&nbsp;Jing Qiu","doi":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101730","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101730","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>One of the major problems faced with pre-implant bone reconstruction therapy is that large bone defects do not heal over time. Artificial bone graft materials, such as deproteinized bovine bone mineral, are commonly used in clinics. However, the lack of osteoinductive capacity and risk of post-implantation infections remain key limitations. Bioactive materials with strong bone formation and a high degree of biocompatibility are still needed. In this study, we synthesised bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (BNP) loaded with Tideglusib (TD), TD and BNP were bound together by self-assembly, and mixed with deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) to form a bone substitute material (TD-BNP@DBBM) that had low cytotoxicity, promoted cell proliferation and migration, induced cell differentiation, and regulated osteogenesis. In vitro, experiments suggested that TD-BNP@DBBM could promote osteoblast differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. In vivo, experiments demonstrated that TD-BNP@DBBM significantly accelerated bone reconstruction and enhanced bone healing in a rat cranial defect model. Furthermore, this result suggested a link between the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and the osteogenic effect, providing a basis for subsequent investigations into the mechanism of bone regeneration induced by osteogenic biomaterials. TD-BNP@DBBM might be a promising new approach for treating bone defects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18310,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Bio","volume":"32 ","pages":"Article 101730"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143817114","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Smart bactericidal textile enabling in-situ visual assessment of antimicrobial activity","authors":"Amparo Ferrer-Vilanova ,&nbsp;Josune Jimenez Ezenarro ,&nbsp;Kristina Ivanova ,&nbsp;Óscar Calvo ,&nbsp;Ilana Perelshtein ,&nbsp;Giulio Gorni ,&nbsp;Ana Cristina Reguera ,&nbsp;Rosalía Rodríguez-Rodríguez ,&nbsp;Maria Blanes ,&nbsp;Núria Vigués ,&nbsp;Jordi Mas ,&nbsp;Aharon Gedanken ,&nbsp;Tzanko Tzanov ,&nbsp;Gonzalo Guirado ,&nbsp;Xavier Muñoz-Berbel","doi":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101724","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101724","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hospital fabrics and wound dressings with antibacterial properties are essential to minimize infection risks associated with bacterial colonization of textiles. A key challenge of these materials lies in the difficulty in assessing their functional lifespan. Integrating bacterial-sensing elements into smart textiles enables real-time and in-situ evaluation of antibacterial activity. However, this approach is often hindered by the reactivity between bactericidal and bacterial-sensing components, the limited stability and selectivity of the sensing probes, and high production costs. Here, we address these challenges by presenting a smart textile that simultaneously provides antibacterial activity and bacterial-sensing capacity using a layer-by-layer sonochemical deposition method. Prussian blue, a chromogenic bacterial-sensing probe, is integrated onto hospital-grade antibacterial fabrics containing copper oxide nanoparticles. When the biocidal fabric begins to lose its antimicrobial activity, live bacteria in the textile metabolically reduce Prussian blue nanoparticles, triggering a visible colour change. This approach offers several key advantages, such as: (i) the resulting textile retains antibacterial activity comparable to conventional copper oxide-based textiles (A value &gt; 4 in both cases); (ii) it provides a direct and visible colour transition from blue to colourless (&gt;20 % colour losses) when the antibacterial coating begins to lose effectiveness, enabling straightforward monitoring of antibacterial lifespan without external instruments or reagents; (iii) the co-immobilization enhances coating stability, nearly doubling the binding strength of copper oxide and Prussian blue compared to single-layer coatings; and (iv), the additional Prussian blue layer significantly reduces the material cytotoxicity, enhancing biocompatibility for safer use in healthcare settings. These innovations offer a scalable, cost-effective, and multifunctional solution for infection control. The smart textile not only prevents bacterial spread but also provides timely, visual indications of coating degradation, making it a promising tool for improving patient safety in hospitals and for minimizing infection risks in schools and other high-risk environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18310,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Bio","volume":"32 ","pages":"Article 101724"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143785786","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Artificial cells and biomimicry cells: A rising star in the fight against cancer","authors":"Renata Faria Maia,&nbsp;Asma Sadat Vaziri,&nbsp;Mohammad-Ali Shahbazi,&nbsp;Hélder A. Santos","doi":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101723","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101723","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biomimetic Artificial Cells (ACs) are engineered systems that mimic the properties and functions of natural cells, offering significant potential for biomedical applications. The performance and applicability of these synthetic constructs depend on the choice of materials and fabrication methods. Our review delves into the materials, fabrication techniques, and diverse applications of ACs, emphasizing their transformative impact on the field of cancer therapy as smart vehicles for drug delivery, immune system stimulation, cancer cell targeting to minimize off-target effects and maximizing therapeutic efficacy as well as <em>in vitro</em> models for cancer research. By providing a comprehensive overview, we aim to elucidate how these synthetic cells can move the field forward, offering innovative solutions to longstanding challenges in cancer treatment and opening new frontiers in less toxic treatment options.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18310,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Bio","volume":"32 ","pages":"Article 101723"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143785813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sex-stratified osteochondral organ-on-chip model reveals sex-specific responses to inflammatory stimulation","authors":"Francisco Conceição ,&nbsp;João Meneses ,&nbsp;Filipa Lebre ,&nbsp;Malin Becker ,&nbsp;Nuno Araújo-Gomes ,&nbsp;Rianne Vos ,&nbsp;Ana R. Ribeiro ,&nbsp;Ernesto Alfaro-Moreno ,&nbsp;Jeroen Leijten ,&nbsp;Liliana Moreira Teixeira","doi":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101728","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101728","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Osteoarthritis (OA) is a musculoskeletal degenerative disease characterized by alterations in cartilage and subchondral bone leading to impaired joint function. OA disproportionally affects females more than males, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying these biological sex differences remain elusive. Current therapeutic strategies to halt the progression of OA are still lacking, in part due to the limited predictive potential of standard models which often do not account for sex disparities. Herein, an organ-on-chip microfluidic platform was developed to model the osteochondral unit, composed of adjacent bone and cartilage culture chambers, and capture sex-specific hallmarks of OA. Sex-stratified human primary chondrocytes and osteoblasts were compartmentalized within biomimetic hydrogels emulating the bone-cartilage interface, which were subjected to inflammatory triggers to mimic the onset of OA. We confirmed that interleukin-1β and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α stimulation triggered upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases related genes in all donors, with marginal trends for increased expression in female cells. In addition, metabolic labeling coupled with confocal imaging revealed that inflammatory stimulation modulated extracellular matrix deposition by human chondrocytes in a sex-specific fashion. Not only matrix deposition but also matrix remodeling was altered upon inflammation, leading to a significant reduction in matrix stiffness in both cartilage and bone compartments. Overall, sex-stratified osteochondral unit on-chips offer novel insights into sex-specific cellular responses to inflammatory insults, demonstrating the importance of incorporating sex stratification in emergent organ-on-chip models. Thus, this platform provides a physiologically relevant 3D microenvironment to further investigate sex-specific drivers of OA, paving the way for targeted therapies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18310,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Bio","volume":"32 ","pages":"Article 101728"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143783131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Poloxamer-based drug delivery systems: Frontiers for treatment of solid tumors","authors":"Mehdi Pourbakhsh ,&nbsp;Masoud Jabraili ,&nbsp;Morteza Akbari ,&nbsp;Mehdi Jaymand ,&nbsp;Rana Jahanban Esfahlan","doi":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101727","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101727","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pluronics or poloxamers are a type of triblock copolymer. These non-ionic molecules consist of a hydrophobic block embedded in two hydrophilic parts. Pluronics have become favorite materials for use in the field of biomedical research due to having favorable physicochemical and biological properties such as amphiphilicity, solubility in ionic and non-ionic solutions, biocompatibility, biodegradability, self-assembly and low toxicity. The scope of these applications can vary from tissue engineering to drug delivery. One of the important uses of pluronics is to deliver drugs to various cancer cells. Herein we first provide an overview on variety of ploronic biomaterials. And then intensively evaluate their potential as drug delivery systems (DDSs) for treatment of solid tumors with special focus on breast cancers. After explaining the pros and cons of pluronics, the current status in clinical settings and future prospects are highlighted.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18310,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Bio","volume":"32 ","pages":"Article 101727"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143817117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drug-free hyaluronic acid-microneedle with unexpected inhibition activity on benzalkonium chloride-induced corneal inflammation and stromal scarring","authors":"Baoshan Huang ,&nbsp;Rui Zeng ,&nbsp;Xiao Liu ,&nbsp;Lu Pan ,&nbsp;Haitong Bai ,&nbsp;Jiachen Liao ,&nbsp;Wenkai Xu ,&nbsp;Hong Fu ,&nbsp;Kaihui Nan ,&nbsp;Sen Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101722","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101722","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Topical instilling of commercial artificial tears (cAT, containing 0.1 % hyaluronic acid) is widely employed to alleviate clinical manifestations of mild dry eye disease (DED) by preventing the pathological change of corneal epithelium. However, it showed limited therapy effectiveness on heavy DED which has further involved corneal stroma, due to its low stroma-available for hyaluronic acid (HA) resulting from the barrier of corneal epithelium. The present study developed a new microneedle-dosage form of cAT (cAT-MN). This cAT-MN can overstride the corneal epithelium and act as a long-lasting protective agent. Compared to cAT dosing (4 times/day), cAT-MN with one treatment exerted significantly higher therapeutic effects on curbing benzalkonium chloride (BAC)-induced corneal stroma scaring as well as alleviating the DED symptoms in the first 5-day BAC exposure; whereas, showed limited effects in a 10-day BAC exposure. To expand the therapy effects, MNs containing various amounts of HA were prepared. Thereinto, HA(6 %)-MN recovered corneal damage to healthy levels, which could be attributed to adding stroma-available for HA both by increasing the amounts of HA-delivery and enhancing HA-permeation. This study explores a new drug-free microneedle-dosage form of cAT to cure corneal stroma disorders which has expanded its indication, promising a wide clinical use in ophthalmology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18310,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Bio","volume":"32 ","pages":"Article 101722"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143746569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}