ROS-responsive thermosensitive polypeptide hydrogels for localized drug delivery and improved tumor chemoimmunotherapy

In this study, we developed a ROS-responsive thermosensitive poly(ethylene glycol)-polypeptide hydrogel loaded with a chemotherapeutic drug, doxorubicin (Dox), an antiviral imidazoquinoline, resiquimod (R848), and the antibody targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (aPD-1) for local chemoimmunotherapy. The hydrogels demonstrated controllable degradation and sustained drug release behavior according to the concentration of ROS in vitro. Following intratumoral injection into mice bearing B16F10 melanoma, the Dox/R848/aPD-1 co-loaded hydrogels effectively inhibited tumor growth, prolonged animal survival time and promoted antitumor immune responses with low systemic toxicity. In the postoperative model, the Dox/R848/aPD-1 co-loaded hydrogels exhibited enhanced tumor recurrence prevention and long-term immune memory effects. Thus, the hydrogel-based local chemoimmunotherapy system demonstrates potential for effective antitumor treatment and prevention of tumor reoccurrence.