Graphical abstract of the immune shield system
The “Immune-Shield” is applied via a spray method. This system stably coats even wet organ surfaces, and the microgels remain on the surface to slowly release the immunosuppressant. By forming an invisible protective layer on the organ, the system ensures the drug is delivered specifically to the transplant site instead of spreading through the bloodstream to the rest of the body.
In xenotransplantation experiments, the application of the “Immune-Shield” significantly reduced immune cell infiltration and inflammatory responses, significantly extfinishing the survival of transplanted tissues. This finding is significant in that it demonstrated that an immunosuppressive effect was more than twofold higher than that of conventional drug delivery methods.
Professor Hyung Joon Cha, who led the research, stated, “We propose a strategy to solve the long-standing challenge of immunosuppressants by applying mussel adhesive protein, an original biomaterial developed in Korea.” He added, “Since the spray method allows for simple application to complex organ surfaces, it is expected to serve as a key technology to increase the success rate in the field of xenograft transplantation in the future.”
This research was supported by the Creative Innovation Program funded by POSCO Holdings and the Mid-career Researcher Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea, funded by the Minisattempt of Science and ICT.
Source: Pohang University of Science and Technology
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