A new technology has been developed to suppress immune rejection, the biggest challenge in organ transplantation, without causing systemic side effects. A research team from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) and Ewha Womans University has developed an “immune shield” technology that uses mussel-derived adhesive proteins to spray immunosuppressants directly onto organ surfaces.
These research results have recently controlled release journalan international journal in the field of pharmacology and drug delivery.
Organ transplantation is the most effective treatment for restoring organs damaged by accident or disease. However, there is a severe global shortage of transplantable organs. Although xenotransplantation (transplanting animal organs into humans) has gained attention as an alternative, immune rejection remains a major challenge as the human immune system recognizes transplanted organs as foreign invaders.
To prevent this, patients must continue to take immunosuppressants. However, oral or injection-based administration distributes the drug systemically, which can lead to serious side effects such as kidney toxicity and increased risk of infection. This paradoxical situation is repeated. Drugs intended to preserve organs actually weaken the patient’s immune system.
The research team is led by POSTECH’s Professor Hyung Joon Cha (Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Faculty of Interdisciplinary Science and Technology) and Ph.D. The candidates, including Sangmin Lee, Hyun Tak Woo, Dr. Geunho Choi, and Professor Kye Ilju from Ewha Womans University’s Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, focused on administering drugs directly to the transplanted organ, rather than administering the drug systemically.
The research team has developed a technology that utilizes the principle of mussels’ strong adhesion even in water to directly attach microscopic gel particles containing immunosuppressants to the surface of organs. The method involves coating the surface of biological tissue using an adhesive microgel, which the researchers named “Immune-Shield.”
“Immunshield” is applied by spray method. This system provides a stable coating even on wet organ surfaces, and the microgels remain on the surface and slowly release the immunosuppressive agent. By forming an invisible protective layer over the organ, this system ensures that the drug is delivered specifically to the transplant site, rather than spreading to other parts of the body via the bloodstream.
In xenograft experiments, applying an “immune shield” significantly reduced immune cell infiltration and inflammatory responses, and significantly prolonged the survival of the transplanted tissues. This discovery is significant in that it demonstrates more than twice the immunosuppressive effect compared to traditional drug delivery methods.
We propose a strategy to solve the long-standing challenges of immunosuppressants by utilizing mussel adhesion protein, a unique biomaterial developed in Korea. Because the spray method can be easily applied to complex organ surfaces, it is expected to be a key technology to increase the success rate of xenotransplantation in the future. ”
Hyung Joon Cha, Principal Investigator and Professor, Pohang University of Science and Technology
sauce:
Pohang University of Science and Technology
Reference magazines:
Lee, S. Others. (2026). Sprayable protein adhesive microgel-based immunosuppressive therapeutic coating for effective xenografting. controlled release journal. DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2025.114468. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016836592501082X.
