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Juan CY, Zhang YS, Cheng JK, Chen YH, Lin HC, Yeh MY. Lysine-Triggered Polymeric Hydrogels with Self-Adhesion, Stretchability, and Supportive Properties. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:1388. [PMID: 38794581 PMCID: PMC11125877 DOI: 10.3390/polym16101388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Hydrogels, recognized for their flexibility and diverse characteristics, are extensively used in medical fields such as wearable sensors and soft robotics. However, many hydrogel sensors derived from biomaterials lack mechanical strength and fatigue resistance, emphasizing the necessity for enhanced formulations. In this work, we utilized acrylamide and polyacrylamide as the primary polymer network, incorporated chemically modified poly(ethylene glycol) (DF-PEG) as a physical crosslinker, and introduced varying amounts of methacrylated lysine (LysMA) to prepare a series of hydrogels. This formulation was labeled as poly(acrylamide)-DF-PEG-LysMA, abbreviated as pADLx, with x denoting the weight/volume percentage of LysMA. We observed that when the hydrogel contained 2.5% w/v LysMA (pADL2.5), compared to hydrogels without LysMA (pADL0), its stress increased by 642 ± 76%, strain increased by 1790 ± 95%, and toughness increased by 2037 ± 320%. Our speculation regarding the enhanced mechanical performance of the pADL2.5 hydrogel revolves around the synergistic effects arising from the co-polymerization of LysMA with acrylamide and the formation of multiple intermolecular hydrogen bonds within the network structures. Moreover, the acid, amine, and amide groups present in the LysMA molecules have proven to be instrumental contributors to the self-adhesion capability of the hydrogel. The validation of the pADL2.5 hydrogel's exceptional mechanical properties through rigorous tensile tests further underscores its suitability for use in strain sensors. The outstanding stretchability, adhesive strength, and fatigue resistance demonstrated by this hydrogel affirm its potential as a key component in the development of robust and reliable strain sensors that fulfill practical requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chieh-Yun Juan
- Department of Chemistry, Chung Yuan Christian University, No. 200, Zhongbei Rd., Zhongli Dist., Taoyuan City 320314, Taiwan; (C.-Y.J.); (Y.-S.Z.)
| | - You-Sheng Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Chung Yuan Christian University, No. 200, Zhongbei Rd., Zhongli Dist., Taoyuan City 320314, Taiwan; (C.-Y.J.); (Y.-S.Z.)
| | - Jen-Kun Cheng
- Department of Medical Research, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei 10449, Taiwan;
- Department of Anesthesiology, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei 10449, Taiwan
- Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City 25245, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsu Chen
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Taoyuan General Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taoyuan 330215, Taiwan
- Department of Biology and Anatomy, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114201, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Chieh Lin
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300093, Taiwan
- Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-Devices (IDS2B), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Yu Yeh
- Department of Chemistry, Chung Yuan Christian University, No. 200, Zhongbei Rd., Zhongli Dist., Taoyuan City 320314, Taiwan; (C.-Y.J.); (Y.-S.Z.)
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Yin B, Wang R, Guo Y, Li L, Hu X. Injectable Thermo-Responsive Peptide Hydrogels and Its Enzyme Triggered Dynamic Self-Assembly. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:1221. [PMID: 38732690 PMCID: PMC11085460 DOI: 10.3390/polym16091221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Endogenous stimuli-responsive injectable hydrogels hold significant promise for practical applications due to their spatio-temporal controllable drug delivery. Herein, we report a facile strategy to construct a series of in situ formation polypeptide hydrogels with thermal responsiveness and enzyme-triggered dynamic self-assembly. The thermo-responsive hydrogels are from the diblock random copolymer mPEG-b-P(Glu-co-Tyr). The L-glutamic acid (Glu) segments with different γ-alkyl groups, including methyl, ethyl, and n-butyl, offer specific secondary structure, facilitating the formation of hydrogel. The L-tyrosine (Tyr) residues not only provide hydrogen-bond interactions and thus adjust the sol-gel transition temperatures, but also endow polypeptide enzyme-responsive properties. The PTyr segments could be phosphorylated, and the phosphotyrosine copolymers were amphiphilies, which could readily self-assemble into spherical aggregates and transform into sheet-like structures upon dephosphorylation by alkaline phosphatase (ALP). P(MGlu-co-Tyr/P) and P(MGlu-co-Tyr) copolymers showed good compatibility with both MC3T3-E1 and Hela cells, with cell viability above 80% at concentrations up to 1000 μg/mL. The prepared injectable polypeptide hydrogel and its enzyme-triggered self-assemblies show particular potential for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Xiuli Hu
- Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130, China; (B.Y.); (R.W.); (Y.G.); (L.L.)
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Cheng C, Sun Q, Wang X, He B, Jiang T. Enzyme-manipulated hydrogelation of small molecules for biomedical applications. Acta Biomater 2022; 151:88-105. [PMID: 35970483 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Enzyme-manipulated hydrogelation based on self-assembly of small molecules is an attractive methodology for development of functional biomaterials. Upon the catalysis of enzymes, small-molecular precursors are converted into assemblable building blocks, which arrange into high-ordered nanofibers via non-covalent interactions at the molecular level, and further trap water to form hydrogels at the macroscopic level. Such approach has numerous advantages of region- and enantioselectivity, and mild reaction conditions for encapsulation of biomedications or cells that are fragile to environmental change. In addition to the common applications as drug reservoirs or cell scaffolds, the utilization of endogenous enzymes as stimuli to initiate self-assembly in the living cells and tissue is considered as an intelligent spatiotemporally controllable hydrogelation strategy for biomedical applications. The enzyme-instructed in situ self-assembly and hydrogelation can modulate the cell behavior, and even present therapeutic bioactivities, which provides a new perspective in the field of disease treatment. In this review, we categorize distinct enzymatic stimuli and elaborate substrate design, catalytic characteristics, and mechanisms of self-assembly and hydrogelation. The biomedical applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, bioimaging, and in situ gelation-produced bioactivity are outlined. Advantages and limitations regarding the state-of-the-art enzyme-driven hydrogelation technologies and future perspectives are also discussed. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Hydrogel is a semi-solid soft material containing a large amount of water. Due to the features of adjustable flexibility, extremely porous architecture, and the high similarity of structure to natural extracellular matrices, the hydrogel has broad application prospects in biomedicine. In recent 20 years, enzyme-manipulated hydrogelation based on self-assembly of small molecules has developed rapidly as an attractive methodology for the construction of functional biomaterials. Upon the catalysis of enzymes, small-molecular precursors are converted into assemblable building blocks, which arrange into high-ordered nanofibers via non-covalent interactions at the molecular level, and further trap water to form hydrogels at the macroscopic level. This review summarized the characteristics of enzymatic hydrogel, as well as the traditional application and emerging prospect of enzyme-instructed self-assembly and hydrogelation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Cheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Qingyun Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Xiuping Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Bingfang He
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China.
| | - Tianyue Jiang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China.
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Abstract
Thermogelling behavior of aqueous polymer solutions comes from the delicate balance between hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties of the polymer. Typically, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) has been used as a hydrophilic block in most thermogels reported to date. However, recent papers have suggested the potential immunogenicity of PEG-conjugated compounds. Here, we report that aqueous solutions of dl-polyalanine (DL-PA) with a specific molecular weight can exhibit thermogelling behavior. In particular, DL-PA with a molecular weight (Mn) of 6690 Da, DL-PA67, exhibited sol-to-gel transition at the physiologically important temperature range of 30-40 °C. 1H NMR and FTIR data indicated that the mechanism of thermogelation is related to dehydration and conformational changes of DL-PA67 from random coil to β-sheet structures. Subcutaneous injection of an aqueous DL-PA67 solution into rats confirmed the gel formation and its histocompatibility with mild tissue irritation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Jung Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760, Korea
| | - Byeongmoon Jeong
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760, Korea
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