ArticlePolymers2026
Polyvinyl Alcohol-Coated Polycaprolactone Microneedles as Polymeric Microdevices for Transdermal Antigen Delivery and Immune Activation.
Article in Polymers, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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7 authors.
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Abstract
Conventional needle-and-syringe vaccination is associated with pain, needle-related anxiety, the need for trained personnel, and logistical challenges related to vaccine distribution and storage. Microneedle (MN) technology has emerged as a minimally invasive strategy for transdermal delivery and as a platform for functional polymeric microdevices. In this study, polycaprolactone (PCL) microneedles coated with hydrophilic polymers were evaluated as a model platform for antigen delivery. Ex vivo assays using porcine ear skin were explored as a preliminary approach to assess antigen transport from polymer-coated PCL microneedles. However, antigen-specific quantification in the receptor compartment was limited by the lack of specificity of absorbance-based measurements in this biological matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that PVA coating partially altered microneedle tip morphology, whereas optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical microscopy confirmed that PVA20%-PCL-MNs maintained the ability to insert into porcine skin and generate visible insertion sites. Mechanical compression testing further showed that polymer-coated PCL-MNs maintained resistance to axial deformation under the tested conditions. PVA20%-PCL-MNs were also non-toxic and maintained high HEK293T cell viability after 24 h. Based on their preserved insertion capacity, mechanical robustness, ability to support DNP-KLH permeation, and preliminary cytocompatibility, PVA20%-PCL-MNs were evaluated in BALB/c mice using a two-dose prime-boost regimen. Although intraperitoneal immunization induced higher IgG levels, transdermal immunization with PVA20%-PCL-MNs promoted booster-dependent antigen-specific IgG responses. IgG2a/IgG1 ratio analysis indicated a predominantly IgG1-biased humoral profile, and splenocytes from mice immunized with PVA20%-PCL-MNs produced detectable levels of IFN-γ and IL-10 after in vitro stimulation. Together, these findings support PVA-coated PCL microneedles as a proof-of-concept polymeric microdevice platform for minimally invasive antigen delivery and immunogenicity assessment.
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