In vitro 3D malignant melanoma model for the evaluation of hypericin-loaded oil-in-water microemulsion in photodynamic therapy

Advances in biomimetic three-dimensional (3D) melanoma models have brought new prospects of drug screening and disease modeling, since their physiological relevancy for recapitulating vivo tumor architectures is more accurate than traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture. Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) widely used as a tissue-engineered scaffold hydrogel 3D In the present study, an vitro malignant model based on GelMA was fabricated to evaluate efficiency hypericin (Hy)-loaded microemulsion (ME) photodynamic therapy against melanoma. The ME produced by spontaneous emulsification method enhance bioavailability Hy at sites. Hy-loaded MEs were applied made using 6% co-culture B16F10 Balb/c 3T3 cells, followed crosslinking violet light (403 nm). observation revealed excellent viability presence F-actin cytoskeleton network. exhibited higher phototoxicity accumulation (about threefold) free Hy, cells cultured system displayed lower susceptibility 2.5-fold) those 2D These findings indicate that developed are potential delivery carriers Hy; furthermore, hydrogel-based modeling polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) molds user-friendly cost-effective platform investigate penetration provide basis evaluating nanocarrier skin cancer other skin-related diseases.