Hydrogels loaded with chemotherapeutics are promising tools for local tumor treatment. In this work, redox-responsive implantable hydrogels based on gellan gum were prepared as paclitaxel carriers for HER2-positive breast cancer therapy. To achieve different degrees of chemical crosslinking, hydrogels were synthesized in both acetate buffer and phosphate buffer and crosslinked with different concentrations of l-cysteine. It was shown that both, the type of buffer and the l-cysteine concentration used, conditioned the dynamic modulus, equilibrium swelling rate, porosity, and thermal stability of the hydrogels. Then, the biocompatibility of the hydrogels with the most suitable porosity for drug delivery applications was assessed. Once confirmed, these hydrogels were loaded with paclitaxel:β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes, and they showed a glutathione-responsive controlled release of the taxane. Moreover, when tested in vitro, paclitaxel-loaded hydrogels exhibited great antitumor activity. Thus, they could act as excellent local tailored carriers of paclitaxel for future, post-surgical treatment of HER2-overexpressing breast tumors.

载有化疗药物的水凝胶是用于局部肿瘤治疗的有前途的工具。在这项工作中，制备了基于结冷胶的氧化还原响应型可植入水凝胶作为紫杉醇载体用于 HER2 阳性乳腺癌治疗。为了实现不同程度的化学交联，水凝胶在醋酸盐缓冲液和磷酸盐缓冲液中合成，并与不同浓度的l-半胱氨酸交联。结果表明，缓冲区的类型和l使用的-半胱氨酸浓度调节水凝胶的动态模量、平衡溶胀率、孔隙率和热稳定性。然后，评估了最适合药物输送应用的孔隙率的水凝胶的生物相容性。一旦得到确认，这些水凝胶就装载了紫杉醇：β-环糊精包合复合物，并且它们显示出紫杉烷的谷胱甘肽响应控制释放。此外，在体外测试时，载有紫杉醇的水凝胶表现出很强的抗肿瘤活性。因此，它们可以作为优秀的本地定制紫杉醇载体，用于未来的 HER2 过度表达乳腺肿瘤的术后治疗。