Drug-based
chemotherapy is associated with serious side effects. We developed a chemotherapeutic system comprising a
chitosan hydrogel (CH-HG) containing
gold cluster-labeled
liposomal doxorubicin (DOX) (CH-HG-GLDOX) as an
injectable drug depot system. CH-HG-GLDOX can be directly injected into
tumor tissue without a
surgical procedure, allowing this system to act as a reservoir for liposomal DOX. CH-HG-GLDOX enhanced the retention time of DOX in
tumor tissue and controlled its release in response to near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, resulting in significant inhibition of
tumor growth and reduced DOX-related toxicity. The combined effect of CH-HG-GLDOX and
poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticle-based
vaccines increased cytotoxic CD8+ T cell immunity, leading to enhanced synergistic therapeutic efficacy. CH-HG-GLDOX provides an advanced therapeutic approach for local drug delivery and controlled release of DOX, resulting in reduced toxicity. Here, we suggest a combination strategy for chemo- and
immunotherapies, as well as in nanomedicine applications. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: We developed an
injectable hydrogel containing
gold cluster-labeled
liposomes for sustained drug release at the
tumor site. Moreover, we demonstrated the combined therapeutic efficacy of a
hydrogel system and a nanoparticle-based immunotherapeutic
vaccine for
melanoma cancer. Thus, we show a potential combination approach for chemo- and
immunotherapies for
cancer treatment.