Development of obesity treatment technology through microneedle patch loaded with adipose tissue browning agent
To date, many anti-obesity studies have focused on appetite suppression, targeting the central nervous system to reduce an individual\'s caloric intake. However, these strategies have been reported to have limitations in causing psychological side effects such as depression. In this study, we propose a peripheral anti-obesity treatment using microneedles (MNs), a drug delivery technology that enables the insertion of microscopic needles into the skin. We loaded MNs with browning agents that promote the conversion of white adipose tissue into brown adipose tissue. To determine the optimal non-toxic concentration, we screened four browning agents: Gleevec, Rosiglitazone, Resveratrol, and Luteolin. After differentiating 3T3-L1 cells into adipocytes, we treated them with four browning agents and analyzed lipid droplet distribution. The results confirmed the anti-obesity effects of Gleevec, Rosiglitazone, and Resveratrol, while all four agents activated browning-related gene expression. Furthermore, we loaded these browning agents into MNs and implanted them into the dorsal subcutaneous tissue of mice. We evaluated the safety and drug release profile of the MN patches and confirmed their ability to induce local browning of adipose tissue at the application site. These findings demonstrate the potential of MN-based transdermal drug delivery as a targeted anti-obesity strategy, offering a safer alternative that avoids the side effects of central nervous system-targeted treatments.
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