Mechanically strengthened hybrid peptide-polyester hydrogel and potential applications in spinal cord injury repair
- 18 June 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by IOP Publishing in Biomedical Materials
- Vol. 15 (5), 055031
- https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-605x/ab9e45
Abstract
RADA16 peptide hydrogels have been broadly used in tissue engineering due to their good biocompatibility and nanofibrous structure mimicking the native extracellular matrix (ECM). However, the low mechanical strength often fails them as implantable scaffolds. To improve the mechanical stability of RADA16 peptide hydrogel, a photocrosslinkable diacrylated poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) triblock copolymer (PCECDA) was physically combined with RADA16 peptide pre-modified with cell adhesive Arg-Gly-Asp sequence (RADA16-RGD). Consequently, an interpenetrating network, RADA16-RGD/PCECDA, was formed with highly enhanced mechanical property. The storage modulus (G') of RADA16-RGD/PCECDA (6% w/v, mass ratio mRADA16-RGD/mPCECDA=1:5) hybrid hydrogel was elevated to ~ 2000 Pa, compared to the RADA16-RGD (1% w/v) hydrogel alone (~ 700 Pa). Furthermore, this hybrid hydrogel retained the nanofibrous structure from RADA16-RGD peptide, but underwent much slower degradation than RADA16-RGD alone. In vitro, the hybrid hydrogel exhibited excellent cytocompatibility and promoted the differentiation of the seeded neural stem cells (NSCs). Finally, the RADA16-RGD/PCECDA hydrogel demonstrated capability in reducing cavitation, glial scar formation and inflammation at the lesion sites of hemi-sectioned spinal cord injury model in rats, which hold great potential for application in neural tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.Keywords
Funding Information
- National Key R&D Program of China (2016YFC1100103)
- Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou City (201904010364)
- Guangdong Innovative and Entrepreneurial Research Team Program (2013S086)
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (51673220, 51903255)
- Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province (2015B010125001, 2015B020233012)
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