Hyaluronic acid microneedles loaded with curcumin nanodrugs and new indocyanine green inhibits human tongue squamous carcinoma cells in vitro.

OBJECTIVE: To prepare the hyaluronic acid microneedle (abbreviated as microneedle) delivery system carrying curcumin nanodrugs (Cur-NDs) and photothermal trigger agent new indocyanine green (IR820), and to investigate its effect on proliferation of human tongue squamous carcinoma cells (Cal-27) in vitro. METHODS: The microneedle delivery system carrying Cur-NDs and IR820 was prepared. The morphological characteristics of the microneedles were observed, and the mechanical strength test, skin insertion ability test and the photothermal test in vitro were performed. Cal-27 cells were treated with microneedles, Cur-NDs microneedles, IR820 microneedles, or Cur-NDs+IR820 microneedles in vitro, respectively. The IR820 microneedle group and Cur-NDs+IR820 microneedle group were irradiated with 808†nm near infrared light at 1†W/cm (2) for 5†min. The cell viability was tested with cell counting kit-8 method. RESULTS: The prepared microneedles had homogeneous needle-like morphology, good mechanical strength and skin piercing ability, among which the microneedles equipped with IR820 showed better photothermal performance. The survival rates of Cal-27 cells were 100.00% in blank control group, 99.92% in control microneedles group, 94.08% in Cur-NDs microneedles group, 0.41% in IR820 microneedles group, and 0.04% in Cur-NDs+IR820 microneedles group, respectively (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with single drug treatment, Cur-NDs+IR820 microneedle shows better inhibitory effect on Cal-27 cell proliferation in vitro.