Effects of neighboring sulfides and pH on ester hydrolysis in thiol-acrylate photopolymers

In situ crosslinkable heparin-containing poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels for sustained anticoagulant release

Low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is widely used in anticoagulation therapies and for the prevention of thrombosis. LMWH is administered by subcutaneous injection usually once or twice per day. This frequent and invasive delivery modality leads to compliance issues for individuals on prolonged therapeutic courses, particularly pediatric patients. Here, we report a long-term delivery method for LMWH via subcutaneous injection of long-lasting hydrogels. LMWH is modified with reactive maleimide groups so that it can be crosslinked into continuous networks with four-arm thiolated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-SH). Maleimide-modified LMWH (Mal-LMWH) retains bioactivity as indicated by prolonged coagulation time. Hydrogels comprising PEG-SH and Mal-LMWH degrade via hydrolysis, releasing bioactive LMWH by first-order kinetics with little initial burst release. Separately dissolved Mal-LMWH and PEG-SH solutions were co-injected subcutaneously in New Zealand White rabbits. The injected solutions successfully formed hydrogels in situ and released LMWH as measured via chromogenic assays on plasma samples, with accumulation of LMWH occurring at day 2 and rising to near-therapeutic dose equivalency by day 5. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using LMWH-containing, crosslinked hydrogels for sustained and controlled release of anticoagulants.

Cross-linking and degradation of step-growth hydrogels formed by thiol-ene photoclick chemistry

Thiol-ene photoclick hydrogels have been used for a variety of tissue engineering and controlled release applications. In this step-growth photopolymerization scheme, four-arm poly(ethylene glycol) norbornene (PEG4NB) was cross-linked with dithiol containing cross-linkers to form chemically cross-linked hydrogels. While the mechanism of thiol-ene gelation was well described in the literature, its network ideality and degradation behaviors are not well-characterized. Here, we compared the network cross-linking of thiol-ene hydrogels to Michael-type addition hydrogels and found thiol-ene hydrogels formed with faster gel points and higher degree of cross-linking. However, thiol-ene hydrogels still contained significant network nonideality, demonstrated by a high dependency of hydrogel swelling on macromer contents. In addition, the presence of ester bonds within the PEG-norbornene macromer rendered thiol-ene hydrogels hydrolytically degradable. Through validating model predictions with experimental results, we found that the hydrolytic degradation of thiol-ene hydrogels was not only governed by ester bond hydrolysis, but also affected by the degree of network cross-linking. In an attempt to manipulate network cross-linking and degradation of thiol-ene hydrogels, we incorporated peptide cross-linkers with different sequences and characterized the hydrolytic degradation of these PEG-peptide hydrogels. In addition, we incorporated a chymotrypsin-sensitive peptide as part of the cross-linkers to tune the mode of gel degradation from bulk degradation to surface erosion.

Design properties of hydrogel tissue-engineering scaffolds

This article summarizes the recent progress in the design and synthesis of hydrogels as tissue-engineering scaffolds. Hydrogels are attractive scaffolding materials owing to their highly swollen network structure, ability to encapsulate cells and bioactive molecules, and efficient mass transfer. Various polymers, including natural, synthetic and natural/synthetic hybrid polymers, have been used to make hydrogels via chemical or physical crosslinking. Recently, bioactive synthetic hydrogels have emerged as promising scaffolds because they can provide molecularly tailored biofunctions and adjustable mechanical properties, as well as an extracellular matrix-like microenvironment for cell growth and tissue formation. This article addresses various strategies that have been explored to design synthetic hydrogels with extracellular matrix-mimetic bioactive properties, such as cell adhesion, proteolytic degradation and growth factor-binding.

Characterization of protein release from hydrolytically degradable poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels

We present a novel fully hydrophilic, hydrolytically degradable poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogel suitable for soft tissue engineering and delivery of protein drugs. The gels were designed to overcome drawbacks associated with current PEG hydrogels (i.e., reaction mechanisms or degradation products that compromise protein stability): the highly selective and mild cross-linking reaction allowed for encapsulating proteins prior to gelation without altering their secondary structure as shown by circular dichroism experiments. Further, hydrogel degradation and structure, represented by mesh size, were correlated to protein release. It was determined that polymer density had the most profound effect on protein diffusivity, followed by the polymer molecular weight, and finally by the specific chemical structure of the cross-linker. By examining the diffusion of several model proteins, we confirmed that the protein diffusivity was dependent on protein size as smaller proteins (e.g., lysozyme) diffused faster than larger proteins (e.g., Ig). Furthermore, we demonstrated that the protein physical state was preserved upon encapsulation and subsequent release from the PEG hydrogels and contained negligible aggregation or protein-polymer adducts. These initial studies indicate that the developed PEG hydrogels are suitable for release of stable proteins in drug delivery and tissue engineering applications.

Effect of environmental factors on hydrolytic degradation of water-soluble polyphosphazene polyelectrolyte in aqueous solutions

Degradation of a water-soluble polyphosphazene, poly[di(carboxylatophenoxy)phosphazene], disodium salt (PCPP) has been studied in aqueous solutions at elevated temperature. This synthetic polyelectrolyte is of interest as vaccine adjuvant and its degradability constitutes an important component of its safety and formulation stability profiles. The degradation process is manifested by a gradual reduction in the molecular weight of the polymer and cleavage of side groups, which is consistent with previously reported data on hydrolytical breakdown of water-soluble polyphosphazenes. The kinetics of hydrolytical degradation exhibits distinct pH dependence and the process is faster in solutions with lower pH. Remarkably, a number of hydrogen bond forming additives, such as polyethylene glycol and Tween displayed a dramatic accelerating effect on the degradation of PCPP, whereas inorganic salts, such as sodium chloride and potassium chloride, showed a trend for its retardation. The results can be potentially explained on the basis of acid promoted hydrolysis mechanism and macromolecular interactions in the system.

Retrieval of a metabolite from cells with polyelectrolyte microcapsules

To monitor cellular processes in individual cells, it is important to measure the concentrations of intracellular metabolites and to retrieve them for analysis. The use of functionalized polyelectrolyte microcapsules as intracellular sensors for in vivo reporting is persented. Capsules loaded with streptavidin-rhodamine, which was introduced into fibroblasts by electroporation, autonomously escaped from an endocytic compartment and efficiently recruited biotin-fluorescein from the cytosol. This work demonstrates the utility of polyelectrolyte microcapsules for intracellular capture of metabolites and eventually for drug delivery on an organismic level.

Synthesis and characterization of degradable bioconjugated hydrogels with hyperbranched multifunctional cross-linkers

Hyperbranched poly(ester amide) polymer (Hybrane S1200, M(n) 1200 gmol(-1)) was functionalized with maleic anhydride (MA) and propylene sulfide, to obtain multifunctional cross-linkers with fumaric and thiol end groups, S1200MA and S1200SH, respectively. The degree of substitution (DS) of maleic acid groups was controlled by varying the molar ratio of MA to S1200 in the reaction mixture. Hydrogels were obtained by UV cross-linking of functionalized S1200 and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate in aqueous solutions. Compressive modulus increased with decreasing S1200/PEG ratio and also depended on the DS of the multifunctional cross-linker (S1200). Also, heparin-based macromonomers together with functionalized hyperbranched polymers were used to construct novel functional hydrogels. The multivalent hyperbranched polymers allowed high cross-linking densities in heparin modified gels while introducing biodegradation sites. Both heparin presence and acrylate/thiol ratio had an impact on degradation profiles and morphologies. Hyperbranched cross-linked hydrogels showed no evidence of cell toxicity. Overall, the multifunctional cross-linkers afford hydrogels with promising properties that suggest that these may be suitable for tissue engineering applications.

Characterization of the in vitro macrophage response and in vivo host response to poly(ethylene glycol)-based hydrogels

Photopolymerizable poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)- based hydrogels have great potential as in vivo cell delivery vehicles for tissue engineering. However, their success in vivo will be dependent on the host response. The objectives for this study were to explore the in vivo host response and in vitro macrophage response to commonly used PEG-based hydrogels, PEG and PEG containing RGD. Acellular hydrogels were implanted subcutaneously into c57bl/6 mice and the foreign body response (FBR) was compared to medical grade silicone. Our findings demonstrated PEG-RGD hydrogels resulted in a FBR similar to silicone, while PEG-only hydrogels resulted in a robust inflammatory reaction characterized by a thick layer of macrophages at the material surface with evidence of gel degradation. In vitro, bone marrow-derived primary macrophages adhered well and similarly to PEG-based hydrogels, silicone, and tissue culture polystyrene when cultured for 4 days. Significantly higher gene expressions of the proinflammatory cytokines, TNF-alpha and Il-1beta, were found in macrophages seeded onto PEG compared to PEG-RGD and silicone at 1 and 2 days. PEG hydrogels were also shown to be susceptible to oxidative biodegradation. Our findings indicate that PEG-only hydrogels are proinflammatory while RGD attenuates this negative reaction leading to a moderate FBR.

Bioactive modification of poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels for tissue engineering

In this review, we explore different approaches for introducing bioactivity into poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels. Hydrogels are excellent scaffolding materials for repairing and regenerating a variety of tissues because they can provide a highly swollen three-dimensional (3D) environment similar to soft tissues. Synthetic hydrogels like PEG-based hydrogels have advantages over natural hydrogels, such as the ability for photopolymerization, adjustable mechanical properties, and easy control of scaffold architecture and chemical compositions. However, PEG hydrogels alone cannot provide an ideal environment to support cell adhesion and tissue formation due to their bio-inert nature. The natural extracellular matrix (ECM) has been an attractive model for the design and fabrication of bioactive scaffolds for tissue engineering. ECM-mimetic modification of PEG hydrogels has emerged as an important strategy to modulate specific cellular responses. To tether ECM-derived bioactive molecules (BMs) to PEG hydrogels, various strategies have been developed for the incorporation of key ECM biofunctions, such as specific cell adhesion, proteolytic degradation, and signal molecule-binding. A number of cell types have been immobilized on bioactive PEG hydrogels to provide fundamental knowledge of cell/scaffold interactions. This review addresses the recent progress in material designs and fabrication approaches leading to the development of bioactive hydrogels as tissue engineering scaffolds.

Hydrolytically degradable poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogel scaffolds with tunable degradation and mechanical properties

The objective of this work was to create 3D hydrogel matrices with defined mechanical properties as well as tunable degradability for use in applications involving protein delivery and cell encapsulation. Therefore, we report the synthesis and characterization of a novel hydrolytically degradable poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogel composed of PEG vinyl sulfone (PEG-VS) cross-linked with PEG-diester-dithiol. Unlike previously reported degradable PEG-based hydrogels, these materials are homogeneous in structure, fully hydrophilic, and have highly specific cross-linking chemistry. We characterized hydrogel degradation and associated trends in mechanical properties, that is, storage modulus (G'), swelling ratio (Q(M)), and mesh size (xi). Degradation time and the monitored mechanical properties of the hydrogel correlated with cross-linker molecular weight, cross-linker functionality, and total polymer density; these properties changed predictably as degradation proceeded (G' decreased, whereas Q(M) and xi increased) until the gels reached complete degradation. Balb/3T3 fibroblast adhesion and proliferation within the 3D hydrogel matrices were also verified. In sum, these unique properties indicate that the reported degradable PEG hydrogels are well poised for specific applications in protein and cell delivery to repair soft tissue.

Degradative properties and cytocompatibility of a mixed-mode hydrogel containing oligo[poly(ethylene glycol)fumarate] and poly(ethylene glycol)dithiol

Our laboratory is currently exploring synthetic oligo(poly(ethylene glycol)fumarate) (OPF)-based biomaterials as a means to deliver fibroblasts to promote regeneration of central/partial defects in tendons and ligaments. In order to further modulate the swelling and degradative characteristics of OPF-based hydrogels, OPF crosslinking via a radically initiated, mixed-mode reaction involving poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-diacrylate and PEG-dithiol was investigated. Results demonstrate that mixed-mode hydrogels containing OPF can be formed and that the presence of 20 wt.% PEG-dithiol increases swelling and decreases degradation time vs. 10 wt.% PEG-dithiol and non-thiol-containing hydrogels (20% thiol fold swelling 28.7+/-0.8; 10% thiol fold swelling 11.6+/-1.4; non-thiol 8.7+/-0.2; 20% thiol-containing hydrogels degrade within 15 days in vitro). After encapsulation, tendon/ligament fibroblasts remained largely viable over 8 days of static culture. While the presence of PEG-dithiol did not significantly affect cellularity or collagen production within the constructs over this time period, image analysis revealed that the 20% PEG-dithiol gels did appear to promote cell clustering, with greater values for aggregate area observed by day 8. These experiments suggest that mixed-mode OPF-based hydrogels may provide an interesting alternative as a cell carrier for engineering a variety of soft orthopedic tissues, particularly for applications when it is important to encourage cell-cell contact.

Development and Characterization of Degradable Thiol-Allyl Ether Photopolymers

Degradable thiol-ene photopolymer networks were formed through radically mediated step growth reactions. Variations in the network structure were used to alter the initial and temporal moduli, mass loss profiles, and equilibrium swelling ratios. Mass loss rates varied with changes in the solvent concentration, monomer molecular weight, average monomer functionality, and concentration of degradable linkages. The time required for the networks to degrade completely ranged from 1.20 ± 0.01 to 24.5 ± 0.1 days, which corresponded to hydrolysis rates of 0.18 ± 0.01 and 0.021 ± 0.0003 days(-1). Initial moduli also varied considerably as a function of network structure, ranging from 150 ± 35 to nearly 5000 ± 100 kPa, and initial equilibrium swelling ratios ranged from 2.5 ± 0.01 to 18.7 ± 2. Collectively, these results demonstrate how the material properties and the mass loss behavior of thiol-ene networks can be independently tuned for specific applications.