Radiation therapy is a critical tool in cancer treatment, but it often comes with the downside of damaging the skin, leading to painful injuries, infections, and chronic inflammation. Addressing this, researchers from ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering have developed an innovative solution: an aspirin-containing hydrogel that significantly accelerates the healing of radiation-damaged skin.
This hydrogel mimics the nutrient-rich fluid found between cells, providing an optimal healing environment. Loaded with aspirin, a well-known anti-inflammatory agent, the hydrogel has demonstrated promising results in laboratory tests. It not only reduced inflammation and repaired DNA damage caused by radiation but also promoted faster healing in animal models without hindering cell growth.
This new hydrogel takes it a step further by incorporating aspirin, which plays a crucial role in reducing inflammation, scavenging harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS), and repairing DNA damage caused by radiation.
In laboratory experiments with cultured cells, the aspirin-infused hydrogel demonstrated its ability to protect cells from radiation-induced damage without hindering their growth. It effectively reduced inflammation, repaired DNA double-strand breaks, and neutralized ROS, which are harmful molecules generated by radiation exposure.
When tested on mice with radiation-induced skin injuries, the hydrogel showed remarkable results. Wounds treated with the hydrogel healed significantly faster and with fewer complications compared to untreated wounds. The hydrogel’s ability to accelerate healing is attributed to its dual action: creating a supportive environment for cell regeneration while actively reducing the negative effects of radiation.
This solution, if further developed and tested in human trials, could revolutionize the treatment of radiation-induced skin injuries. It offers a convenient, easy-to-apply, and highly effective method for minimizing the side effects of cancer radiation therapy, improving patient outcomes and quality of life.
Article written by Science Mag
12/08/2024
Source:
Science Mag
https://scienmag.com/treating-radiation-wounds-with-aspirin-hydrogels/