Photodynamic Therapy Directed to Melanoma Skin Cancer by Thermosensitive Hydrogel Containing Chlorophyll A

Joabe Lima Araújo; Patrícia Bento da Silva; Bruno Fonseca-Santos; Sônia Nair Báo; Marlus Chorilli; Paulo Eduardo Narcizo de Souza; Luis Alexandre Muehlmann; Ricardo Bentes Azevedo

doi:10.3390/ph16121659

Photodynamic Therapy Directed to Melanoma Skin Cancer by Thermosensitive Hydrogel Containing Chlorophyll A

Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2023 Nov 29;16(12):1659. doi: 10.3390/ph16121659.

Authors

Joabe Lima Araújo¹, Patrícia Bento da Silva¹, Bruno Fonseca-Santos², Sônia Nair Báo³, Marlus Chorilli⁴, Paulo Eduardo Narcizo de Souza⁵, Luis Alexandre Muehlmann⁶, Ricardo Bentes Azevedo¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Genetics and Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Darcy Ribeiro University Campus, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil.
² Department of Biotechnology, Health Sciences Institute, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40110-902, Brazil.
³ Cellular Biology Department, Institute of Biological Sciences, Darcy Ribeiro University Campus, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil.
⁴ School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University, Araraquara 14800-903, Brazil.
⁵ Institute of Physics, Darcy Ribeiro University Campus, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil.
⁶ Faculty of Ceilandia, University of Brasilia, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil.

Abstract

Melanoma, a severe form of skin cancer intricately linked to genetic and environmental factors, is predicted to reach 100,000 new cases worldwide by 2040, underscoring the need for effective and safe treatment options. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of a photosensitizer called Chlorophyll A (Chl-A) incorporated into hydrogels (HGs) made of chitosan (CS) and poloxamer 407 (P407) for Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) against the murine melanoma cell line B16-F10. The HG was evaluated through various tests, including rheological studies, SEM, and ATR-FTIR, along with cell viability assays. The CS- and P407-based HGs effectively released Chl-A and possessed the necessary properties for topical application. The photodynamic activity of the HG containing Chl-A was evaluated in vitro, demonstrating high therapeutic potential, with an IC₅₀ of 25.99 µM-an appealing result when compared to studies in the literature reporting an IC₅₀ of 173.8 µM for cisplatin, used as a positive control drug. The developed formulation of CS and P407-based HG, serving as a thermosensitive system for topical applications, successfully controlled the release of Chl-A. In vitro cell studies associated with PDT exhibited potential against the melanoma cell line.

Keywords: hydrogel; melanoma; photodynamic therapy; skin cancer.

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the Brazilian agencies FAP-DF/Brazil (00193.00001053/2021-24), CNPq (403536/2021-9) and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior-Brazil (CAPES)-Finance Code 001.