Oxaliplatin-loaded amphiphilic hyaluronic acid nanohydrogel formed via interfacial reactions enhances the therapeutic effect of targeted tumor

Hyaluronic acid (HA) nanogels have attracted widespread attention, aiming to improve cancer treatment paradigms and overcome the limitations of free-form drugs. However highly hydrophilic nature of HA nanogels limits their potential application where amphiphilic interactions are required for the delivery of hydrophobic drugs. In this study, we developed amphiphilic structure oxaliplatin (OXA) loaded oligo-hyaluronic acid (oHA)-PEG-Octane nanogel using stable disulfide bonds with ultrasonic re-emulsion method. 1,8-Mercaptooctane present in the organic phase underwent crosslinking with sulfhydryl groups conjugated on oHA and PEG in the inner aqueous phase through interfacial reactions, resulting in the formation of an amphiphilic structure of the nanogels. The nanogels demonstrated uniform size, stability, excellent biocompatibility, and achieved a high drug-loading capacity of 10.8 %. OXA NGs targeted tumor cells through CD44-mediated endocytosis, disassembled under the influence of high glutathione (GSH) levels within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and released OXA inside the reductive cytosol to trigger immunogenic cell death (ICD) of tumor cells. In vivo experiments showed OXA NGs could inhibit tumor growth. Furthermore, the amphiphilic hyaluronic acid nanohydrogel may have clinical potential due to its ability to accommodate various therapeutic agents; therefore, OXA NGs are a potential candidate for clinical translation.