Conductive material Gel@Ti3C2/MT regulates the PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α/TIMP1 pathway affecting MT1 for inhibiting osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant tumor of bone, and there are many drawbacks in current treatment methods, and it is necessary to explore new treatment methods. In this study, we show that TIMP1 may play an important role in the development of osteosarcoma, and we demonstrate that GelMA@Ti3C2/Melatonin (Gel@Ti3C2/MT) hydrogel, which can both conduct electricity and sustained-release melatonin, is beneficial in inhibiting the metastasis and invasion of osteosarcoma, and can further up-regulate the expression of melatonin receptor type 1 (MT1) on the basis of MT1 activation, inhibit PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α upstream of metallopeptidase inhibitor 1 (TIMP1), increase its expression, and interfere with the structure and function of the cytoskeleton. The Gel@Ti3C2/MT hydrogel we developed provides a new direction for the treatment as well as mechanistic studies of osteosarcoma.