2. Academic Validation
  3. Keratinocyte membrane-coated nanoparticle combined with epidermal-targeted microneedle for targeted therapy of atopic dermatitis

Keratinocyte membrane-coated nanoparticle combined with epidermal-targeted microneedle for targeted therapy of atopic dermatitis

  • Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2026 Aug:264:115653. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2026.115653.
Junyang Zhu 1,  Linlin Jia 2,  Xue Liu 3,  Huanhuan Wang 1,  Jinlong Zong 3,  Yingshuang Lv 3,  Jing Hu 3,  Mengjiao Li 4,  Qiaoli Kong 1,  Yan Liu 5,  Qingmei Xia 6,  Han Zhang 7,  Nan Li 8
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 State Key Laboratory of Component Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Engineering Research Center of Modern Chinese Medicine Discovery and Preparation Technique, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
  • 2 State Key Laboratory of Component Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Engineering Research Center of Modern Chinese Medicine Discovery and Preparation Technique, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; China Resources Jiangzhong Pharmaceutical Group Co., Jiangxi 330013, China.
  • 3 State Key Laboratory of Component Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Engineering Research Center of Modern Chinese Medicine Discovery and Preparation Technique, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin 301617, China.
  • 4 Shandong Qidu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Shandong 255400, China.
  • 5 Tianjin Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Detection Technology and Systems, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China.
  • 6 Chinese Medical College, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
  • 7 State Key Laboratory of Component Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin 301617, China; State Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Modernization, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 8 State Key Laboratory of Component Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Engineering Research Center of Modern Chinese Medicine Discovery and Preparation Technique, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin 301617, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 41921409 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2026.115653
Abstract

Dysregulated keratinocyte Apoptosis contributes to skin barrier impairment and Th2 immune imbalance in atopic dermatitis (AD). To address these issues, we developed MN-HCM@OA-NLC for targeted keratinocyte therapy, enhancing treatment precision and efficacy. The MN-OA-NLC has an insertion depth of approximately 70 μm, which can precisely deliver drugs into the viable epidermis, making the skin retention 2.51-fold that of OA-NLC. Due to the homologous targeting of HCM, the epidermal retention of MN-HCM@OA-NLC is 1.93-fold that of MN-OA-NLC. Totally, the skin retention of MN-HCM@OA-NLC is 16.9-fold higher than that of free OA, providing superior anti-atopic dermatitis efficacy. The MN-HCM@OA-NLC significantly downregulated the expression levels of IL-4, 5, and 13, rebalancing the Th1/Th2 immune response. Additionally, it reduced the epidermal thickness, mast cell count, and IgE expression by 50%, 34%, and 62%, respectively, leading to the alleviation of AD skin lesions. This study introduces a novel strategy that combines efficient delivery with precise targeting for AD treatment, and holds promise for extending therapeutic applications to Other inflammatory skin conditions.

Keywords

Atopic dermatitis; Cell membrane-coated nanoparticles; Dissolving microneedles; Nanostructured lipid carriers; Oroxylin A.

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