Chitosan/β-glucan/cystine multifunctional hydrogel loading retinol liposomes for efficiently treating UV-induced skin damage and aging.

Abstract

Retinol plays a crucial role in promoting skin repair and regeneration, but is challenged by instability, skin irritation and low bioavailability. Herein, a multifunctional hydrogel (CS/BG/Cys/RLs) is developed by compositing retinol liposomes (RLs) with chitosan (CS)/β-glucan (BG)/cystine (Cys) hydrogel, where CS and BG are non-covalently crosslinked by Cys. Peak shifts in FTIR spectra confirm the formation of supramolecular interactions. The CS/BG/Cys/RLs hydrogel retains 95 % of its virgin antioxidant acitivty after 72 h of photo-aging, attributed to the UV absorption capacity of the disulfide bond in the 200-300 nm range, which protects retinol from UV damage. The irritation of retinol is alleviated by liposome and hydrogel, reducing the hemolysis rate from 57 % (retinol) to 3.7 % (hydrogel) at a retinol concentration of 4 mg/mL. In vitro, the hydrogel repairs UVB-induced HaCaT cell damage by suppressing oxidative stress (ROS, NO) and NF-κB expression, while upregulating PPAR-α and promoting cell proliferation. In vivo, it effectively treats UVB-damaged mouse skin by downregulating pro-inflammatory factors (NF-κB, TNF-α, CD130, Stat-3, and Bcl-2) and enhancing collagen systhesis. Thus, this study presents a multifunctional hydrogel that combines stability, safety and efficiency for retinol delivery, offering a promising approach for repairing UV-induced skin damage and anti-aging therapy.