Chemotherapy drugs are mainly administered via intravenous injection or oral administration in a very a high dosage. If there is a targeted drug vehicle which can be deployed on the tumor, the medical treatment is specific and precise. Binary mixing of biocompatible Pluronic® F127 and Pluronic® L121 was used in this study for a drug carrier of pluronic biomedical hydrogels (PBHs). Based on the same PBH ingredients, the addition of fluorouracil (5-FU) was separated in three ways when it was incorporated with pluronics: F127-L121-(5-FU), F127-(5-FU), and L121-(5-FU). Small angle X-ray scattering experiments were performed to uncover the self-assembled structures of the PBHs. Meanwhile, the expected micelle and lamellar structural changes affected by the distribution of 5-FU were discussed with respect to the corresponding drug release monitoring. PBH-all with the mixing method of F127-L121-(5-FU) has the fastest drug release rate owing to the undulated amphiphilic boundary. In contrast, PBH-2 with the mixing method of L121-(5-FU) has a prolonged drug release rate at 67% for one month of the continuous drug release experiment because the flat lamellar amphiphilic boundary of PBH-2 drags the migration of 5-FU from the hydrophobic core. Therefore, the PBHs developed in the study possess great potential for targeted delivery and successfully served as a microenvironment model to elucidate the diffusion pathway of 5-FU.
Exosomes, extracellular vesicles known for their stability, low immunogenicity, and excellent tissue penetration, are employed as delivery vehicles. These exosomes can traverse the tumor barrier and deliver therapeutic agents directly into pancreatic cancer cells. Targeted exosome vectors containing gene fragments to inhibit Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) activity are crucial for treating pancreatic tumors. Therefore, the content of the exosomes is critical. This study aims to compare the function of exosomes released by HEK-293T cells when exposed to ultraviolet A/B and ultraviolet C irradiation to determine its impact. HEK-293T cells were irradiated with ultraviolet A/B, and ultraviolet C for various indicated times, after which the cell count and exosome secretion were measured. Exosomes derived from HEK-293T cells were isolated through differential centrifugation and identified using four methods: cell counting, Bradford assay, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and Western blot analysis. Preliminary studies demonstrated that the cell count and Bradford assay expression were reduced in ultraviolet C compared to the control, with similar levels observed for ultraviolet A/B and the control. Exosome expression in Western blot analysis showed ultraviolet C, but a higher amount of ultraviolet A/B compared to the control. We introduce a comprehensive approach to ultraviolet irradiation, including ultraviolet A/B and ultraviolet C, which enhanced the secretion of exosomes by HEK-293T targeted vectors for KRAS inhibition in pancreatic cancer.