Chitosan-Coated Covalent Triazine Framework-Imatinib Composite Nanofiber Skin Dressing for Melanoma Cancer Treatment

Nanotechnology offers promising strategies for topical drug delivery to treat melanoma. However, the enhanced permeability and retention of nanoparticles at the tumor sites provide a strong rationale for the further development of topical nanomedicines for the cure of melanoma. The current study aimed to develop a topical delivery system to combat melanoma using chitosan (CS) nanofibers coated with covalent triazine-based framework-Imatinib-loaded nanoparticles (CTF/IMA). CS nanofiber sheets were fabricated using the electrospinning technique and coated with CTF/IMA nanoparticles (CS-CTF/IMA). The ultrastructure of the nanofibers was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging. The biocompatibility and cytotoxicity of nanosheets against normal fibroblast and melanoma cancer cells were assayed by the MTT assay. The expression levels of apoptosis-related genes were analysed using real-time PCR. SEM imaging revealed the nano-structure of the fibers and the presence of nanoparticles on the surface of the sheets. Also, it confirmed that cells were properly adhered to the surface of the sheets. The MTT assay found that CS-CTF/IMA nanofiber sheets inhibited the growth of melanoma cells without causing toxicity to normal fibroblast cells. The expression levels of pro-apoptotic genes increased while those of anti-apoptotic genes decreased in melanoma cells cultured on CS-CTF/IMA nanosheets. The findings of the current experiment suggest that the CS-CTF/IMA composite skin dressing holds promise as a targeted therapy for melanoma treatment. This approach has the potential to enhance treatment efficacy and mitigate adverse effects on normal cells and tissues by selectively delivering the therapeutic agents to the tumor sites.