3D-printed scaffold harboring copper ions combined with near-infrared irradiation for local therapy of cancer

Hao Wei; Dong Chen; Bin Han; Peng Li; Hao Jia; Lizhang Zhu; Hao Yang; Deren Lan; Wei Wei; Haibo Chen; Yongxiang Luo; Yongsheng Zhao

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2023.108076

3D-printed scaffold harboring copper ions combined with near-infrared irradiation for local therapy of cancer

iScience. 2023 Sep 27;26(10):108076. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108076. eCollection 2023 Oct 20.

Authors

Hao Wei^{1

2}, Dong Chen³, Bin Han³, Peng Li³, Hao Jia³, Lizhang Zhu³, Hao Yang¹, Deren Lan¹, Wei Wei³, Haibo Chen¹, Yongxiang Luo², Yongsheng Zhao¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China.
² Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, China.
³ Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China.

Abstract

Cancer is a major health threat and a leading cause of human death worldwide. Surgical resection is the primary treatment for most cancers; however, some patients develop locoregional recurrence. Here, we developed an in situ cancer therapeutic system aimed to locally treat cancer and prevent postoperative recurrence. A functional scaffold, based on alginate/gelatin and crosslinked with copper ions, was fabricated by 3D printing and showed an excellent photothermal effect under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. The combination of copper ions and NIR effectively killed thyroid cancer cells and patient-derived organoids, indicating a synergetic and broad-spectrum antitumor effect on thyroid cancer through the chemo-photothermal therapy. This implantable stent is designed to provide effective treatment in the vicinity of the tumor site and can be degraded without secondary surgery. The copper-loaded hydrogel scaffold may be a potential candidate for local cancer treatment and pave the way for precise and effective cancer therapy.

Keywords: Biomaterials; Biomedical Engineering; Cancer; Materials science.