Functionalized Polymeric Microneedles for Transdermal Delivery of Ovalbumin Protein Antigen

<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Microneedles represent an innovative transdermal drug delivery approach, especially for protein antigens. This study aimed to develop a dual-functional, dissolvable microneedle system loaded with β-glucan and fucoidan in a hyaluronic acid matrix to achieve t...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yi Liu, Feng Tan, Decheng Zhao, Liwen Zhang, Nianni Zhang, Chengwei Bai, Ziyang Guo, Xiongjian Guan, Guanyu Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Pharmaceutics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/17/6/737
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849425785359695872
author Yi Liu
Feng Tan
Decheng Zhao
Liwen Zhang
Nianni Zhang
Chengwei Bai
Ziyang Guo
Xiongjian Guan
Guanyu Chen
author_facet Yi Liu
Feng Tan
Decheng Zhao
Liwen Zhang
Nianni Zhang
Chengwei Bai
Ziyang Guo
Xiongjian Guan
Guanyu Chen
author_sort Yi Liu
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background/Objectives:</b> Microneedles represent an innovative transdermal drug delivery approach, especially for protein antigens. This study aimed to develop a dual-functional, dissolvable microneedle system loaded with β-glucan and fucoidan in a hyaluronic acid matrix to achieve transdermal immunomodulation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulation, exploring its potential in inflammatory disease management and antigen delivery. <b>Methods:</b> The microneedles were fabricated using a two-step casting method. Their morphology, mechanical strength, and dissolution kinetics were characterized. In vitro experiments evaluated the ROS-modulating effects on human dermal fibroblasts, while in vivo studies on C57 mice investigated immune activation and lymph node accumulation of ovalbumin antigen. <b>Results:</b> The microneedles exhibited a mechanical strength exceeding 7.45 N/needle and dissolved within 50 s. β-glucan transiently reduced ROS levels at 6 h followed by a rebound, whereas fucoidan sustained ROS suppression after 12 h. In mice, β-glucan-loaded microneedles triggered local immune activation, and fucoidan-incorporated microneedles enhanced ovalbumin accumulation in lymph nodes by 2.1-fold compared to controls. <b>Conclusions:</b> Integrating β-glucan’s immunostimulatory and fucoidan’s ROS-scavenging/lymphatic-targeting properties within a single microneedle platform offers a promising multifunctional strategy for treating inflammatory diseases and delivering protein antigens.
format Article
id doaj-art-e8354a399c5a49b48ff12ccc169ddafd
institution Kabale University
issn 1999-4923
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Pharmaceutics
spelling doaj-art-e8354a399c5a49b48ff12ccc169ddafd2025-08-20T03:29:39ZengMDPI AGPharmaceutics1999-49232025-06-0117673710.3390/pharmaceutics17060737Functionalized Polymeric Microneedles for Transdermal Delivery of Ovalbumin Protein AntigenYi Liu0Feng Tan1Decheng Zhao2Liwen Zhang3Nianni Zhang4Chengwei Bai5Ziyang Guo6Xiongjian Guan7Guanyu Chen8School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen 518107, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen 518107, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen 518107, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen 518107, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen 518107, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen 518107, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen 518107, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen 518107, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen 518107, China<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Microneedles represent an innovative transdermal drug delivery approach, especially for protein antigens. This study aimed to develop a dual-functional, dissolvable microneedle system loaded with β-glucan and fucoidan in a hyaluronic acid matrix to achieve transdermal immunomodulation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulation, exploring its potential in inflammatory disease management and antigen delivery. <b>Methods:</b> The microneedles were fabricated using a two-step casting method. Their morphology, mechanical strength, and dissolution kinetics were characterized. In vitro experiments evaluated the ROS-modulating effects on human dermal fibroblasts, while in vivo studies on C57 mice investigated immune activation and lymph node accumulation of ovalbumin antigen. <b>Results:</b> The microneedles exhibited a mechanical strength exceeding 7.45 N/needle and dissolved within 50 s. β-glucan transiently reduced ROS levels at 6 h followed by a rebound, whereas fucoidan sustained ROS suppression after 12 h. In mice, β-glucan-loaded microneedles triggered local immune activation, and fucoidan-incorporated microneedles enhanced ovalbumin accumulation in lymph nodes by 2.1-fold compared to controls. <b>Conclusions:</b> Integrating β-glucan’s immunostimulatory and fucoidan’s ROS-scavenging/lymphatic-targeting properties within a single microneedle platform offers a promising multifunctional strategy for treating inflammatory diseases and delivering protein antigens.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/17/6/737dissolvable microneedlestransdermal drug deliveryimmunomodulationreactive oxygen species (ROS) regulationβ-glucanfucoidan
spellingShingle Yi Liu
Feng Tan
Decheng Zhao
Liwen Zhang
Nianni Zhang
Chengwei Bai
Ziyang Guo
Xiongjian Guan
Guanyu Chen
Functionalized Polymeric Microneedles for Transdermal Delivery of Ovalbumin Protein Antigen
Pharmaceutics
dissolvable microneedles
transdermal drug delivery
immunomodulation
reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulation
β-glucan
fucoidan
title Functionalized Polymeric Microneedles for Transdermal Delivery of Ovalbumin Protein Antigen
title_full Functionalized Polymeric Microneedles for Transdermal Delivery of Ovalbumin Protein Antigen
title_fullStr Functionalized Polymeric Microneedles for Transdermal Delivery of Ovalbumin Protein Antigen
title_full_unstemmed Functionalized Polymeric Microneedles for Transdermal Delivery of Ovalbumin Protein Antigen
title_short Functionalized Polymeric Microneedles for Transdermal Delivery of Ovalbumin Protein Antigen
title_sort functionalized polymeric microneedles for transdermal delivery of ovalbumin protein antigen
topic dissolvable microneedles
transdermal drug delivery
immunomodulation
reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulation
β-glucan
fucoidan
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/17/6/737
work_keys_str_mv AT yiliu functionalizedpolymericmicroneedlesfortransdermaldeliveryofovalbuminproteinantigen
AT fengtan functionalizedpolymericmicroneedlesfortransdermaldeliveryofovalbuminproteinantigen
AT dechengzhao functionalizedpolymericmicroneedlesfortransdermaldeliveryofovalbuminproteinantigen
AT liwenzhang functionalizedpolymericmicroneedlesfortransdermaldeliveryofovalbuminproteinantigen
AT niannizhang functionalizedpolymericmicroneedlesfortransdermaldeliveryofovalbuminproteinantigen
AT chengweibai functionalizedpolymericmicroneedlesfortransdermaldeliveryofovalbuminproteinantigen
AT ziyangguo functionalizedpolymericmicroneedlesfortransdermaldeliveryofovalbuminproteinantigen
AT xiongjianguan functionalizedpolymericmicroneedlesfortransdermaldeliveryofovalbuminproteinantigen
AT guanyuchen functionalizedpolymericmicroneedlesfortransdermaldeliveryofovalbuminproteinantigen