Alum-tuned hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel with immune checkpoint inhibition for immunophoto therapy of cancer

• Published in: Journal of controlled release Vol. 362; pp. 1 - 18
• Main Authors: Kim, Sungyun, Ahn, Jae-Hee, Jeong, Da In, Yang, Mingyu, Jeong, Jae-Hyeon, Choi, Yeoung Eun, Kim, Hyun Jin, Han, Youngjoo, Karmakar, Mrinmoy, Ko, Hyun-Jeong, Cho, Hyun-Jong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.10.2023
• Subjects: Alum; Colorectal cancer; Hydrogel; Immune checkpoint inhibition; Phototherapy; Immune checkpoint inhibition; Hydrogel; Alum; Colorectal cancer; Phototherapy
• ISSN: 0168-3659; 1873-4995
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.08.027

Alum-crosslinked hyaluronic acid-dopamine (HD) hydrogel containing indocyanine green (ICG) with anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) antibody (Ab) administration was developed for immunophoto therapy of cancer. Alum modulates the rheological characteristics of hydrogel for enabling syringe injection, shear-thinning feature, and slower biodegradation. In addition, alum in HD-based hydrogel provided CD8+ T cell-mediated immune responses for cancer therapy. ICG in the hydrogel under near-infrared (NIR) light exposure may induce hyperthermia and generate singlet oxygen for selective cancer cell killing. HD/alum/ICG hydrogel injection with NIR laser irradiation elevated PD-1 level in CD8+ T cells. Administration of PD-1 Ab aiming at highly expressed PD-1 in T cells may amplify the anticancer efficacies of HD/alum/ICG hydrogel along with NIR laser. HD/alum/ICG hydrogel with NIR light may have both CD8+ T cell-linked immune responses and ICG-related photodynamic/photothermal effects. Additional injection of immune checkpoint inhibitor can ultimately suppress primary and distant tumor growth by combination with those therapeutic actions. [Display omitted] •Alum-crosslinked hydrogel including indocyanine green (ICG) was fabricated.•Alum which has been used as an adjuvant was introduced as a gel crosslinker.•Near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation with hydrogel produced CD8+ T cell responses.•ICG with NIR laser served photodynamic and photothermal potentials in cancer therapy.•PD-1 Ab injection aiming at high PD-1 level may amplify immunotherapeutic efficacies.