Mussel-inspired bioadhesives in healthcare: design parameters, current trends, and future perspectives

Facile Solvent-Free Fabrication of All-Small-Molecule Supramolecular Photothermal Bioadhesive for Sutureless Wound Closure

Achieving underwater adhesion possesses a significant challenge, primarily due to the presence of interfacial water, which restricts the potential applications of adhesives. In this study, we present a straightforward and environmentally friendly one-pot approach for synthesizing a solvent-free supramolecular TPFe bioadhesive composed of thioctic acid, proanthocyanidins, and FeCl3. The bioadhesive exhibits excellent biocompatibility and photothermal antibacterial properties and demonstrates effective adhesion on various substrates in both wet and dry environments. Importantly, the adhesive strength of this bioadhesive on steel exceeds 1.2 MPa and that on porcine skin exceeds 100 kPa, which is greater than the adhesive strength of most reported bioadhesives. In addition, the bioadhesive exhibits the ability to effectively halt bleeding, close wounds promptly, and promote wound healing in the rat skin wound model. Therefore, the TPFe bioadhesive has potential as a medical bioadhesive for halting bleeding quickly and promoting wound healing in the biomedical field. This study provides a new idea for the development of bioadhesives with firm wet adhesion.

Hyaluronic Acid-Dopamine-NCSN Hydrogel Combined With Extracellular Matrix Promotes Wound Healing

The skin barrier is essential to prevent pathogenic invasion. When injury occurs, multiple biological pathways are promptly activated and wound repair processes are triggered. The effective healing of wounds is essential for survival, and dysfunction could result from aberrant wound repair. Preparation of many hydrogels, which involve the addition of growth/cell factors or mimic extracellular matrix (ECM) components, has not resulted in significant advances in tissue recovery. ECM contains a large number of biologically active molecules that activate a variety of cellular transduction pathways, which are essential for wound repair. Here, this work prepares hyaluronic acid-dopamine-thiourea (HA-DA-NCSN) hydrogels exhibiting ultrafast gelation in situ, following the methods of Xu et al., and subsequently designs a hydrogel containing ECM particles. In addition, the loaded ECM material, specifically decellularized ECM material, not only enhances the strength of the hydrogel network, but also delivers bioactive substances that make it a suitable platform for skin wound repair. The ECM hydrogel has great potential as an efficient bioactive wound dressing. This research suggests that this strategy is likely to improve skin wound closure in rat skin wound models.

Nanoarchitectonics of Bactericidal Coatings Based on CaCO3-Nanosilver Hybrids

Antimicrobial coatings provide protection against microbes colonization on surfaces. This can prevent the stabilization and proliferation of microorganisms. The ever-increasing levels of microbial resistance to antimicrobials are urging the development of alternative types of compounds that are potent across broad spectra of microorganisms and target different pathways. This will help to slow down the development of resistance and ideally halt it. The development of composite antimicrobial coatings (CACs) that can host and protect various antimicrobial agents and release them on demand is an approach to address this urgent need. In this work, new CACs based on microsized hybrids of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were designed using a drop-casting technique. Polyvinylpyrrolidone and mucin were used as additives. The CaCO3/AgNPs hybrids contributed to endowing colloidal stability to the AgNPs and controlling their release, thereby ensuring the antibacterial activity of the coatings. Moreover, the additives PVP and mucin served as a matrix to (i) control the distribution of the hybrids, (ii) ensure mechanical integrity, and (iii) prevent the undesired release of AgNPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques were used to characterize the 15 μm thick CAC. The antibacterial activity was determined against Escherichia coli, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, three bacteria responsible for many healthcare infections. Antibacterial performance of the hybrids was demonstrated at concentrations between 15 and 30 μg/cm2. Unloaded CaCO3 also presented bactericidal properties against MRSA. In vitro cytotoxicity tests demonstrated that the hybrids at bactericidal concentrations did not affect human dermal fibroblasts and human mesenchymal stem cell viability. In conclusion, this work presents a simple approach for the design and testing of advanced multicomponent and functional antimicrobial coatings that can protect active agents and release them on demand.

An injectable polyacrylamide/chitosan-based hydrogel with highly adhesive, stretchable and electroconductive properties loaded with irbesartan for treatment of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) significantly contributes to the high incidence of complications and mortality associated with acute myocardial infarction. Recently, injectable electroconductive hydrogels (IECHs) have emerged as promising tools for replicating the mechanical, electroconductive, and physiological characteristics of cardiac tissue. Herein, we aimed to develop a novel IECH by incorporating irbesartan as a drug delivery system (DDS) for cardiac repair. Our approach involved merging a conductive poly-thiophene derivative (PEDOT: PSS) with an injectable dual-network adhesive hydrogel (DNAH) comprising a catechol-branched polyacrylamide network and a chitosan-hyaluronic acid covalent network. The resulting P-DNAH hydrogel, benefitting from a high conducting polymer content, a chemically crosslinked network, a robust dissipative matrix, and dynamic oxidation of catechol to quinone exhibited superior mechanical strength, desirable conductivity, and robust wet-adhesiveness. In vitro experiments with the P-DNAH hydrogel carrying irbesartan (P-DNAH-I) demonstrated excellent biocompatibility by cck-8 kit on H9C2 cells and a rapid initial release of irbesartan. Upon injection into the infarcted hearts of MIRI mouse models, the P-DNAH-I hydrogel effectively inhibited the inflammatory response and reduced the infarct size. In conclusion, our results suggest that the P-DNAH hydrogel, possessing suitable mechanical properties and electroconductivity, serves as an ideal IECH for DDS, delivering irbesartan to promote heart repair.

Gross morphology and adhesion-associated physical properties of Drosophila larval salivary gland glue secretion

One of the major functions of the larval salivary glands (SGs) of many Drosophila species is to produce a massive secretion during puparium formation. This so-called proteinaceous glue is exocytosed into the centrally located lumen, and subsequently expectorated, serving as an adhesive to attach the puparial case to a solid substrate during metamorphosis. Although this was first described almost 70 years ago, a detailed description of the morphology and mechanical properties of the glue is largely missing. Its main known physical property is that it is released as a watery liquid that quickly hardens into a solid cement. Here, we provide a detailed morphological and topological analysis of the solidified glue. We demonstrated that it forms a distinctive enamel-like plaque that is composed of a central fingerprint surrounded by a cascade of laterally layered terraces. The solidifying glue rapidly produces crystals of KCl on these alluvial-like terraces. Since the properties of the glue affect the adhesion of the puparium to its substrate, and so can influence the success of metamorphosis, we evaluated over 80 different materials for their ability to adhere to the glue to determine which properties favor strong adhesion. We found that the alkaline Sgs-glue adheres strongly to wettable and positively charged surfaces but not to neutral or negatively charged and hydrophobic surfaces. Puparia formed on unfavored materials can be removed easily without leaving fingerprints or cascading terraces. For successful adhesion of the Sgs-glue, the material surface must display a specific type of triboelectric charge. Interestingly, the expectorated glue can move upwards against gravity on the surface of freshly formed puparia via specific, unique and novel anatomical structures present in the puparial's lateral abdominal segments that we have named bidentia.

Recent progress in magnetic polydopamine composites for pollutant removal in wastewater treatment

Various water pollution issues pose a significant threat to human water safety. Magnetic polydopamine composites (MPCs), which can be separated by magnetic fields after the adsorption process, exhibit outstanding adsorption capacity and heterogeneous catalytic properties, making them promising materials for water treatment applications. In particular, by modifying the polydopamine (PDA) coating, MPCs can acquire enhanced high reactivity, antibacterial properties, and biocompatibility. This also provides an attractive platform for further fabrication of hybrid materials with specific adsorption, catalytic, antibacterial, and water-oil separation capabilities. To systematically provide the background knowledge and recent research advances in MPCs, this paper presents a critical review of MPCs for water treatment in terms of both structure and mechanisms of effect in applications. Firstly, the impact of different PDA positions within the composite structure is investigated to summarize the optimization of properties contributed by PDA when acting as the shell, core, or bridge. The roles of various secondary modifications of magnetic materials by PDA in addressing water pollution problems are explored. It is anticipated that this work will be a stimulus for further research and development of magnetic composite materials with real-world application potential.

A hyaluronic acid / chitosan composite functionalized hydrogel based on enzyme-catalyzed and Schiff base reaction for promoting wound healing

The healing of full-thickness skin defect has been a clinical challenge. Hydrogels with multiple functions inspired by extracellular matrix are expected to be used as wound dressing. In this paper, dopamine-grafted oxidized hyaluronic acid was blended with quaternary ammonium chitosan to form a composite functionalized hydrogel by enzyme-catalyzed cross-linking and Schiff base reaction. The hydrogel has convenient preparation, good biocompatibility, antibacterial and antioxidant, high adhesion and self-healing properties. The results in vivo show that the hydrogel can effectively close the wound and accelerate the speed of wound healing by up-regulating the expression of angiogenic protein and promoting the distribution of collagen deposition more uniform and regular. It is expected that this composite functionalized hydrogel dressing has great potential in wound regeneration.

Tough adhesion enhancing strategies for injectable hydrogel adhesives in biomedical applications

Injectable hydrogel adhesives have gained widespread attention due to their ease of use, fast application time, and suitability for minimally invasive procedures. Several biomedical applications depend on tough adhesion between hydrogel adhesives and tissues, including wound closure and healing, hemostasis, tissue regeneration, drug delivery, and wearable electronic devices. Compared with bulk hydrogel adhesives formed ex situ, injectable hydrogel adhesives are more difficult to achieve strong adhesion strength due to a further balance of cohesion and adhesion while maintaining their flowability. In this review, the critical principles in designing tough adhesion of injectable hydrogel adhesives are summarized, including simultaneously enhancing their intrinsic interfacial toughness (Γ0inter) and mechanical dissipation (ΓDinter). Thereafter, various design strategies to enhance the Γ0inter and ΓDinter are discussed and evaluated respectively, involving multiple noncovalent/covalent interactions, topological connections, and polymer network structures. Furthermore, targeted biomedical applications of injectable hydrogel adhesives for specific tissue needs are systematically highlighted. In the end, this review outlines the challenges and trends in producing next-generation multifunctional injectable hydrogels for both practical and translational applications.

Injectable, pore-forming, self-healing, and adhesive hyaluronan hydrogels for soft tissue engineering applications

Most existing injectable hydrogels are non-porous, thereby lacking a microporous structure to promote cell ingrowth. Also, most hydrogels do not effectively adhere to the host tissue. The present study describes an injectable double network hydrogel formed by combining two hyaluronic acid (HA) derivatives, namely dopamine grafted HA (DAHA) and methacrylated HA (HAMA). These constituents instantly form a physically crosslinked network through Fe3+-dopamine coordination, and confer fast gelation, pore formation, and self-healing properties to the hydrogel. Photocroslinked upon UV exposure, HAMA forms a chemically crosslinked network, thereby improving mechanical and degradation properties. The adhesive properties of this hydrogel are attributed to the presence of dopamine groups, inspired by mussel creatures. Proper modification of HA chains was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy. The physical, mechanical, rheological, and biological properties of the new hydrogels were quantified in wet laboratory conditions. The results revealed that the DAHA/HAMA hydrogel rapidly forms a self-healing microporous adhesive scaffold with a 26.9 µm pore size, 29.4 kPa compressive modulus, and 12.8 kPa adhesion strength in under 6 s. These findings suggest that the new hydrogel is a promising candidate for in situ repair of soft tissues, particularly mechanically dynamic ones such as the vocal folds, cartilage, and dermis.

Polysaccharides, proteins, and synthetic polymers based multimodal hydrogels for various biomedical applications: A review

Nature-derived or biologically encouraged hydrogels have attracted considerable interest in numerous biomedical applications owing to their multidimensional utility and effectiveness. The internal architecture of a hydrogel network, the chemistry of the raw materials involved, interaction across the interface of counter ions, and the ability to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) govern the clinical efficacy of the designed hydrogels. This review focuses on the mechanistic viewpoint of different biologically driven/inspired biomacromolecules that encourages the architectural development of hydrogel networks. In addition, the advantage of hydrogels by mimicking the ECM and the significance of the raw material selection as an indicator of bioinertness is deeply elaborated in the review. Furthermore, the article reviews and describes the application of polysaccharides, proteins, and synthetic polymer-based multimodal hydrogels inspired by or derived from nature in different biomedical areas. The review discusses the challenges and opportunities in biomaterials along with future prospects in terms of their applications in biodevices or functional components for human health issues. This review provides information on the strategy and inspiration from nature that can be used to develop a link between multimodal hydrogels as the main frame and its utility in biomedical applications as the primary target.

Photocatalytic and Photothermal Antimicrobial Mussel-Inspired Nanocomposites for Biomedical Applications

Bacterial infection has traditionally been treated with antibiotics, but their overuse is leading to the development of antibiotic resistance. This may be mitigated by alternative approaches to prevent or treat bacterial infections without utilization of antibiotics. Among the alternatives is the use of photo-responsive antimicrobial nanoparticles and/or nanocomposites, which present unique properties activated by light. In this study, we explored the combined use of titanium oxide and polydopamine to create nanoparticles with photocatalytic and photothermal antibacterial properties triggered by visible or near-infrared light. Furthermore, as a proof-of-concept, these photo-responsive nanoparticles were combined with mussel-inspired catechol-modified hyaluronic acid hydrogels to form novel light-driven antibacterial nanocomposites. The materials were challenged with models of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. For visible light, the average percentage killed (PK) was 94.6 for E. coli and 92.3 for S. aureus. For near-infrared light, PK for E. coli reported 52.8 and 99.2 for S. aureus. These results confirm the exciting potential of these nanocomposites to prevent the development of antibiotic resistance and also to open the door for further studies to optimize their composition in order to increase their bactericidal efficacy for biomedical applications.

The development of carbohydrate polymer- and protein-based biomaterials and their role in environmental health and hygiene: A review

Biological macromolecules have been significantly used in the medicine due to their certain therapeutic values. Macromolecules have been employed in medical filed in order to enhance, support, and substitute damaged tissues or any other biological function. In the past decade, the biomaterial field has developed considerably because of vast innovations in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, etc. Different types of biological macromolecules such as natural protein and polysaccharide etc. and synthetic molecules such as metal based, polymer based, and ceramic based etc. have been discussed. These materials can be modified by coatings, fibres, machine parts, films, foams, and fabrics for utilization in biomedical products and other environmental applications. At present, the biological macromolecules can used in different areas like medicine, biology, physics, chemistry, tissue engineering, and materials science. These materials have been used to promote the healing of human tissues, medical implants, bio-sensors and drug delivery, etc. These materials also considered as environmentally sustainable as they are prepared in association with renewable natural resources and living organisms in contrast to non-renewable resources (petrochemicals). In addition, enhanced compatibility, durability and circular economy of biological materials make them highly attractive and innovative for current research.The present review paper summarizes a brief about biological macromolecules, their classification, methods of synthesis, and their role in biomedicine, dyes and herbal products.

Progress of tissue adhesives based on proteins and synthetic polymers

In recent years, polymer-based tissue adhesives (TAs) have been developed as an alternative to sutures to close and seal incisions or wounds owing to their ease of use, rapid application time, low cost, and minimal tissue damage. Although significant research is being conducted to develop new TAs with improved performances using different strategies, the applications of TAs are limited by several factors, such as weak adhesion strength and poor mechanical properties. Therefore, the next-generation advanced TAs with biomimetic and multifunctional properties should be developed. Herein, we review the requirements, adhesive performances, characteristics, adhesive mechanisms, applications, commercial products, and advantages and disadvantages of proteins- and synthetic polymer-based TAs. Furthermore, future perspectives in the field of TA-based research have been discussed.

Bioinspired Polyacrylic Acid-Based Dressing: Wet Adhesive, Self-Healing, and Multi-Biofunctional Coacervate Hydrogel Accelerates Wound Healing

Polyacrylic acid (PAA) and its derivatives are commonly used as essential matrices in wound dressings, but their weak wet adhesion restricts the clinical application. To address this issue, a PAA-based coacervate hydrogel with strong wet adhesion capability is fabricated through a facile mixture of PAA copolymers with isoprenyl oxy poly(ethylene glycol) ether and tannic acid (TA). The poly(ethylene glycol) segments on PAA prevent the electrostatic repulsion among the ionized carboxyl groups and absorbed TA to form coacervates. The absorbed TA provides solid adhesion to dry and wet substrates via multifarious interactions, which endows the coacervate with an adhesive strength to skin of 23.4 kPa and 70% adhesion underwater. This coacervate achieves desirable self-healing and extensible properties suitable for frequently moving joints. These investigations prove that the coacervate has strong antibacterial activity, facilitates fibroblast migration, and modulates M1/M2 polarization of macrophages. In vivo hemorrhage experiments further confirm that the coacervate dramatically shortens the hemostatic time from hundreds to tens of seconds. In addition, full-thickness skin defect experiments demonstrate that the coacervate achieves the best therapeutic effect by significantly promoting collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and epithelialization. These results demonstrate that a PAA-based coacervate hydrogel is a promising wound dressing for medical translation.

Adhesive and self-healing materials for central nervous system repair

The central nervous system (CNS) has a limited ability to regenerate after a traumatic injury or a disease due to the low capacity of the neurons to re-grow and the inhibitory environment formed in situ. Current therapies include the use of drugs and rehabilitation, which do not fully restore the CNS functions and only delay the pathology progression. Tissue engineering offers a simple and versatile solution for this problem through the use of bioconstructs that promote nerve tissue repair by bridging cavity spaces. In this approach, the choice of biomaterial is crucial. Herein, we present recent advances in the design and development of adhesive and self-healing materials that support CNS healing. The adhesive materials have the advantage of promoting recovery without the use of needles or sewing, while the self-healing materials have the capacity to restore the tissue integrity without the need for external intervention. These materials can be used alone or in combination with cells and/or bioactive agents to control the inflammation, formation of free radicals, and proteases activity. We discuss the advantages and drawbacks of different systems. The remaining challenges that can bring these materials to clinical reality are also briefly presented.

Research on essential performance of oxidized chitosan-crosslinked acellular porcine aorta modified with bioactive SCPP/DOPA for esophageal scaffold with enhanced mechanical strength, biocompatibility and anti-inflammatory

Acellular porcine aorta (APA) is an excellent candidate for an implanted scaffold but needs to be modified with appropriate cross-linking agent to increase its mechanical property and storage time in vitro as well as to give itself some bioactivities and eliminate its antigenicity for acting as a novel esophageal prosthesis. In this paper, a polysaccharide crosslinker (oxidized chitosan, OCS) was prepared by oxidizing chitosan using NaIO₄ and further used to fix APA to prepare a novel esophageal prosthesis (scaffold). And then the surface modification with dopamine (DOPA) and strontium-doped calcium polyphosphate (SCPP) were performed one after another to prepare DOPA/OCS-APA and SCPP-DOPA/OCS-APA to improve the biocompatibility and inhibit inflammation of the scaffolds. The results showed that the OCS with a feeding ratio of 1.5:1.0 and a reaction time of 24 h had a suitable molecular weight and oxidation degree, almost no cytotoxicity and good cross-linking effect. Compared with glutaraldehyde (GA) and genipin (GP), OCS-fixed APA could provide a more suitable microenvironment for cell proliferation. The vital cross-linking characteristics and cytocompatibility of SCPP-DOPA/OCS-APA were evaluated. Results suggested that SCPP-DOPA/OCS-APA exhibited suitable mechanical properties, excellent resistance to enzymatic degradation/acid degradation, suitable hydrophilicity, and the ability to promote the proliferation of Human normal esophageal epithelial cells (HEECs) and inhibit inflammation in vitro. In vivo tests also confirmed that SCPP-DOPA/OCS-APA could diminish the immunological response to samples and had a positive impact on bioactivity and anti-inflammatory. In conclusion, SCPP-DOPA/OCS-APA could act as an effective, bioactive artificial esophageal scaffold and be expected to be used for clinical in the future.

Bone adhesive materials: From bench to bedside

Biodegradable bone adhesives represent a highly sought-after type of biomaterial which would enable replacement of traditional metallic devices for fixation of bone. However, these biomaterials should fulfil an extremely large number of requirements. As a consequence, bone-adhesive biomaterials which meet all of these requirements are not yet commercially available. Therefore, this comprehensive review provides an extensive overview of the development of bone adhesives from a translational perspective. First, the definition, classification, and chemistry of various types of bone adhesives are highlighted to provide a detailed overview of this emerging class of biomaterials. In this review we particularly focused studies which describe the use of materials that are capable of gluing two pieces of bone together within a time frame of minutes to days. Second, this review critically reflects on i) the experimental conditions of commonly employed adhesion tests to assess bone adhesion and ii) the current state-of-the-art regarding their preclinical and clinical applicability.

Glycoproteins Involved in Sea Urchin Temporary Adhesion

Biomedical adhesives, despite having been used increasingly in recent years, still face a major technological challenge: strong adhesion in wet environments. In this context, biological adhesives secreted by marine invertebrates have appealing characteristics to incorporate into new underwater biomimetic adhesives: water resistance, nontoxicity and biodegradability. Little is still known about temporary adhesion. Recently, a transcriptomic differential analysis of sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus tube feet pinpointed 16 adhesive/cohesive protein candidates. In addition, it has been demonstrated that the adhesive secreted by this species is composed of high molecular weight proteins associated with N-Acetylglucosamine in a specific chitobiose arrangement. As a follow-up, we aimed to investigate which of these adhesive/cohesive protein candidates were glycosylated through lectin pulldowns, protein identification by mass spectroscopy and in silico characterization. We demonstrate that at least five of the previously identified protein adhesive/cohesive candidates are glycoproteins. We also report the involvement of a third Nectin variant, the first adhesion-related protein to be identified in P. lividus. By providing a deeper characterization of these adhesive/cohesive glycoproteins, this work advances our understanding of the key features that should be replicated in future sea urchin-inspired bioadhesives.

Multifunctional Bioinspired Bredigite-Modified Adhesive for Bone Fracture Healing

Despite recent advances in bone adhesives applied for full median sternotomy, the regeneration of bone defects has remained challenging since the healing process is hampered by poor adhesiveness, limited bioactivity, and lack of antibacterial functions. Bioinspired adhesives by marine organisms provide a novel concept to circumvent these problems. Herein, a dual cross-link strategy is employed in designing a multifaceted bioinspired adhesive consisting of a catechol amine-functionalized hyperbranched polymer (polydopamine-co-acrylate, PDA), bredigite (BR) nanoparticles, and Fe³⁺ ions. The hybrid adhesives exhibit strong adhesion to various substrates such as poly(methyl methacrylate), glass, bone, and skin tissues through synergy between irreversible covalent and reversible noncovalent cross-linking, depending on the BR content. Noticeably, the adhesion strength of hybrid adhesives containing 2 wt % BR nanoparticles to bone tissues is 2.3 ± 0.8 MPa, which is about 3 times higher than that of pure PDA adhesives. We also demonstrate that these hybrid adhesives not only are bioactive and accelerate in vitro bone-like apatite formation but also exhibit antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus, depending on the BR concentration. Furthermore, the superior cellular responses in contact with hybrid adhesives, including improved human osteosarcoma MG63 cell spreading and osteogenic differentiation, are achieved owing to the appropriate ion release and flexibility of the cross-linked double-network adhesive. In summary, multifunctional hybrid PDA/BR adhesives with appreciable osteoconductive, mechanical, and antibacterial properties represent the potential applications for median sternotomy surgery as a bone tissue adhesive.

Adhesive hydrogels in osteoarthritis: from design to application

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of degenerative joint disease which affects 7% of the global population and more than 500 million people worldwide. One research frontier is the development of hydrogels for OA treatment, which operate either as functional scaffolds of tissue engineering or as delivery vehicles of functional additives. Both approaches address the big challenge: establishing stable integration of such delivery systems or implants. Adhesive hydrogels provide possible solutions to this challenge. However, few studies have described the current advances in using adhesive hydrogel for OA treatment. This review summarizes the commonly used hydrogels with their adhesion mechanisms and components. Additionally, recognizing that OA is a complex disease involving different biological mechanisms, the bioactive therapeutic strategies are also presented. By presenting the adhesive hydrogels in an interdisciplinary way, including both the fields of chemistry and biology, this review will attempt to provide a comprehensive insight for designing novel bioadhesive systems for OA therapy.

Injectable Dopamine-Polysaccharide In Situ Composite Hydrogels with Enhanced Adhesiveness

Polysaccharide bio-adhesives used for non-invasive repair often show weak mechanical strength and tissue adhesion, even when covalently modified with dopamine (DA) from mussel proteins and its derivatives. Low cohesion of the polysaccharide adhesives and easy oxidation of DA may result in the low adhesion properties of the polysaccharide-DA adhesives. In this work, we aimed to prepare a series of injectable hydrogel adhesives to improve their cohesion and adhesion by in situ mixing DA with the polysaccharide without covalent modification. The injectable and rapid curing adhesives were prepared by mixing oxidized dextran (ODE) and chitosan (CS) through a Schiff base reaction in the presence (or absence) of DA. The gelation time of the adhesive was customized to be less than 20 s by controlling the amount of ODE, regardless of the amount of DA. Multi-cross-linked (MC) hydrogels were further prepared by adding cross-linking agents such as sodium periodate (NaIO₄) and ferric trichloride (FeCl₃), and their sol-gel transitions were easily adjusted by changing the amounts of the cross-linking agents. The MC-FeCl₃ hydrogel adhesive displayed good tissue adhesion with a lap shear adhesion strength of 345 kPa, which was 43 times that of fibrin glue. Results from Raman spectra, texture profile analyses, and atomic force microscopy images confirmed the enhanced adhesion induced by a higher cohesion of MC-FeCl₃, owing to the coordination of Fe³⁺ and DA and non-covalent and covalent bonds of DA. Moreover, the adhesives showed good biodegradability and biocompatibility. These results demonstrate that the injectable and sticky hydrogels with good adhesion are promising materials for tissue repair.

Smart bioadhesives for wound healing and closure

The high demand for rapid wound healing has spurred the development of multifunctional and smart bioadhesives with strong bioadhesion, antibacterial effect, real-time sensing, wireless communication, and on-demand treatment capabilities. Bioadhesives with bio-inspired structures and chemicals have shown unprecedented adhesion strengths, as well as tunable optical, electrical, and bio-dissolvable properties. Accelerated wound healing has been achieved via directly released antibacterial and growth factors, material or drug-induced host immune responses, and delivery of curative cells. Most recently, the integration of biosensing and treatment modules with wireless units in a closed-loop system yielded smart bioadhesives, allowing real-time sensing of the physiological conditions (e.g., pH, temperature, uric acid, glucose, and cytokine) with iterative feedback for drastically enhanced, stage-specific wound healing by triggering drug delivery and treatment to avoid infection or prolonged inflammation. Despite rapid advances in the burgeoning field, challenges still exist in the design and fabrication of integrated systems, particularly for chronic wounds, presenting significant opportunities for the future development of next-generation smart materials and systems.

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Rational material engineering of bioadhesives with optimized mechanical and curative properties.

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Incorporation of biosensing allows real-time and precise evaluation of the healing stage.

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Closed-loop, smart bioadhesives that integrate wireless sensing and treatment hold great potential for chronic wound healing.

High Performance Marine and Terrestrial Bioadhesives and the Biomedical Applications They Have Inspired

This study has reviewed the naturally occurring bioadhesives produced in marine and freshwater aqueous environments and in the mucinous exudates of some terrestrial animals which have remarkable properties providing adhesion under difficult environmental conditions. These bioadhesives have inspired the development of medical bioadhesives with impressive properties that provide an effective alternative to suturing surgical wounds improving closure and healing of wounds in technically demanding tissues such as the heart, lung and soft tissues like the brain and intestinal mucosa. The Gecko has developed a dry-adhesive system of exceptional performance and has inspired the development of new generation re-usable tapes applicable to many medical procedures. The silk of spider webs has been equally inspiring to structural engineers and materials scientists and has revealed innovative properties which have led to new generation technologies in photonics, phononics and micro-electronics in the development of wearable biosensors. Man made products designed to emulate the performance of these natural bioadhesive molecules are improving wound closure and healing of problematic lesions such as diabetic foot ulcers which are notoriously painful and have also found application in many other areas in biomedicine. Armed with information on the mechanistic properties of these impressive biomolecules major advances are expected in biomedicine, micro-electronics, photonics, materials science, artificial intelligence and robotics technology.

Preparation and Characterization of Extracellular Matrix Hydrogels Derived from Acellular Cartilage Tissue

Decellularized matrices can effectively reduce severe immune rejection with their cells and eliminated nucleic acid material and provide specific environments for tissue repair or tissue regeneration. In this study, we prepared acellular cartilage matrix (ACM) powder through the decellularization method and developed ACM hydrogels by physical, chemical, and enzymatic digestion methods. The results demonstrated that the small size group of ACM hydrogels exhibited better gel conditions when the concentration of ACM hydrogels was 30 and 20 mg/mL in 1N HCl through parameter adjustment. The data also confirmed that the ACM hydrogels retained the main components of cartilage: 61.18% of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and 78.29% of collagen, with 99.61% of its DNA removed compared to samples without the decellularization procedure (set as 100%). Through turbidimetric gelation kinetics, hydrogel rheological property analysis, and hydrogel tissue physical property testing, this study also revealed that increasing hydrogel concentration is helpful for gelation. Besides, the ex vivo test confirmed that a higher concentration of ACM hydrogels had good adhesive properties and could fill in cartilage defects adequately. This study offers useful information for developing and manufacturing ACM hydrogels to serve as potential alternative scaffolds for future cartilage defect treatment.

Elastomeric, bioadhesive and pH-responsive amphiphilic copolymers based on direct crosslinking of poly(glycerol sebacate)-co-polyethylene glycol

Poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS), a synthetic biorubber, is characterised by its biocompatibility, high elasticity and tunable mechanical properties; however, its inherent hydrophobicity and insolubility in water make it unsuitable for use in advanced biomaterials like hydrogels fabrication. Here, we developed new hydrophilic PGS-based copolymers that enable hydrogel formation through use of two different types of polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyethylene glycol (PEG2) or glycerol ethoxylate (PEG3), combined at different ratios. A two-step polycondensation reaction was used to produce poly(glycerol sebacate)-co-polyethylene glycol (PGS-co-PEG) copolymers that were then crosslinked thermally without the use of initiators or crosslinkers, resulting in PGS-co-PEG2 and PGS-co-PEG3 amphiphilic polymers. It has been illustrated that the properties of PGS-co-PEG copolymers can be controlled by altering the type and amount of PEG. PGS-co-PEG copolymers containing PEG ≥ 40% showed high swelling, flexibility, stretching, bioadhesion and biocompatibility, and good enzymatic degradation and mechanical properties. Also, the addition of PEG created hydrogels that demonstrated pH-responsive behaviours, which can be used for bioapplications requiring responding to physicochemical dynamics. Interestingly, PGS-co-40PEG2 and PGS-co-60PEG3 had the highest shear strengths, 340.4 ± 49.7 kPa and 336.0 ± 35.1 kPa, and these are within the range of commercially available sealants or bioglues. Due to the versatile multifunctionalities of these new copolymer hydrogels, they can have great potential in soft tissue engineering and biomedicine.

Oxygen-releasing hydrogels promote burn healing under hypoxic conditions

Hypoxic nonhealing wounds are a common complication in chronic patients, and chronic hypoxia is the main reason for delayed wound healing, so local wound oxygenation may be an effective way to address this problem. Here, we proposed a system consisting of oxygen-releasing microsphere (GC) and self-healing hydrogel (QGO). QGO/GC hydrogel could promote survival, migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells under hypoxic conditions. Moreover, QGO/GC hydrogels exhibited biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo. The hypoxic mouse burn model further confirmed that QGO/GC hydrogel could promote tissue repair by reducing inflammation (TNF-α and IL-1β), increasing angiogenesis (CD31, VEGF and α-SMA) and collagen deposition. This study provided an effective oxygen-releasing hydrogel that could offer a simple and effective method for the clinical treatment of chronic hypoxic wounds. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Burn injury is caused by various exogenous factors such as friction, cold, radiations, electricity, chemicals, hot surfaces or liquids. Severe burn can damage the entire skin layer, and the healing process is delayed due to an unbalanced inflammatory response, excessive reactive oxygen species, lack of angiogenesis (insufficient nutrient and oxygen availability), and susceptibility to infection. In the present study, we proposed an oxygen-releasing hydrogel (QGO/GC). QGO/GC hydrogel could promote survival, migration, and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells under hypoxic conditions. And QGO/GC hydrogels could promote tissue repair by reducing inflammation, increasing angiogenesis and collagen deposition. This work provided an effective oxygen-releasing hydrogel for the clinical management of chronic hypoxic wounds.

Composite Multicellular Spheroids Containing Fibers with Pores and Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) Coating on the Surface for Enhanced Proliferation of Stem Cells

Multicellular spheroids are formed by strong cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions and are widely utilized in tissue engineering for therapeutic treatments or ex vivo tissue modeling. However, diffusion of oxygen into the spheroid gradually decreases, forming a necrotic core. In this study, polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers with pores and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) coating on their surface to provide a structural framework within the spheroids and investigated their ability to mitigate diffusional limitation and control over the proliferation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) is engineered. The DNA content of composite spheroids prepared from fibers and hADSCs decreased in unadjusted cells (1224 ± 134 ng), in those with fibers with a smooth surface (SF) (1447 ± 331 ng), and in those EGCG-coated with SF (E-SF) (1437 ± 289 ng). Cells with fibers with pores on the surface (PF) (2020 ± 32 ng) and those with EGCG-coated PF (E-PF) (1911 ± 80 ng) increased after 7 days of culture, with a significantly greater number of proliferating cells (29 ± 8% and 30 ± 8%, respectively). These results indicate that physical modification through the formation of pores on the fiber surface alleviates diffusion limitation of composite spheroids, playing a dominant role over chemical modification.

Advances in biomaterials as a retinal patch for the repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) is the most common retinological emergency that can cause blindness without surgical treatment. RRD occurs when liquefied vitreous accumulates between the neurosensory retina and the retinal pigment epithelium via retinal breaks, which are caused by the separation of the vitreous from the retina with aging. Currently, the main treatment option is pars plana vitrectomy, which involves surgical removal of the vitreous and laser photocoagulation around retinal breaks to generate firm chorioretinal adhesion, as well as subsequent filling of the vitreous cavity with long-lasting substitutes (expansile gas or silocone oil) to prevent the connection between the subretinal space and the vitreous cavity via the breaks before the chorioretinal adhesion firm enough. However, the postoperative face-down position and the not very satisfactory first retinal reattachment rate place a heavy burden on patients. With the development of technology and materials engineering, researchers have developed biomaterials that can be used as a retinal patch to seal retinal breaks and prevent the connection of subretinal space and vitreous cavity via breaks, thus replacing the long-lasting vitreous substitutes and eliminating the postoperative face-down position. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that biomaterial sealants have enough biocompatibility and efficacy in the in vitro and in vivo experiments. Some sealants have been used in clinical trials on a small scale, and the results indicate promising application prospects of the biomaterial sealants as retinal patches in the repair of RRD. Herein, we review the recent advances in biomaterials as retinal patches for the repair of RRD, focusing on the biomaterial categories, methods, and procedures for sealing retinal breaks, as well as their biocompatibility and efficacy, current limitations, and development perspectives.

Ionically cross-linked alginate-chitosan core-shell hydrogel beads for oral delivery of insulin

Here, core-shell hydrogel beads for oral insulin delivery at intestine was reported, which was a target site for insulin absorption. The core-shell hydrogel beads were prepared using naturally derived alginate and chitosan polysaccharides by simple dropping technique. In order to effectively control leakage of insulin from core-shell hydrogel beads, insulin was embedded into the layered double hydroxides (LDHs). LDH/insulin-loaded complexes were firstly coated with chitosan, and then coated with alginate to generate core-shell hydrogel beads. The biocompatibility and angiogenic response of core-shell hydrogel beads were evaluated by direct contact of the beads with chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane, which indicates safety of the core-shell beads. The beads successfully retained the insulin within the core-shell structure at pH 1.2, indicating that insulin had a good protective effect in harsh acidic environments. Interestingly, insulin release starts at the simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8) and continue to release for 24 h in a sustained manner.

Rapid Ultratough Topological Tissue Adhesives

Tissue adhesives capable of achieving strong and tough adhesion in permeable wet environments are useful in many biomedical applications. However, adhesion generated through covalent bond formation directly with the functional groups of tissues (i.e., COOH and NH2  groups in collagen), or using non-covalent interactions can both be limited by weak, unstable, or slow adhesion. Here, it is shown that by combining pH-responsive bridging chitosan polymer chains and a tough hydrogel dissipative matrix one can achieve unprecedented ultratough adhesion to tissues (>2000 J m-2 ) in 5-10 min without covalent bond formation. The strong non-covalent adhesion is shown to be stable under physiologically relevant conditions and strongly influenced by chitosan molecular weight, molecular weight of polymers in the matrix, and pH. The adhesion mechanism relies primarily on the topological entanglement between the chitosan chains and the permeable adherends. To further expand the applicability of the adhesives, adhesion time can be decreased by dehydrating the hydrogel matrix to facilitate rapid chitosan interpenetration and entanglement (>1000 J m-2  in ≤1 min). The unprecedented adhesive properties presented in this study open opportunities for new strategies in the development of non-covalent tissue adhesives and numerous bioapplications.

Drosophila Glue: A Promising Model for Bioadhesion

The glue produced by Drosophila larvae to attach themselves to a substrate for several days and resist predation until the end of metamorphosis represents an attractive model to develop new adhesives for dry environments. The adhesive properties of this interesting material have been investigated recently, and it was found that it binds as well as strongly adhesive commercial tapes to various types of substrates. This glue hardens rapidly after excretion and is made of several proteins. In D. melanogaster, eight glue proteins have been identified: four are long glycosylated mucoproteins containing repeats rich in prolines, serines and threonines, and four others are shorter proteins rich in cysteines. This protein mix is produced by the salivary glands through a complex packaging process that is starting to be elucidated. Drosophila species have adapted to stick to various substrates in diverse environmental conditions and glue genes appear to evolve rapidly in terms of gene number, number of repeats and sequence of the repeat motifs. Interestingly, besides its adhesive properties, the glue may also have antimicrobial activities. We discuss future perspectives and avenues of research for the development of new bioadhesives mimicking Drosophila fly glue.

pH Responsive Antibacterial Hydrogel Utilizing Catechol-Boronate Complexation Chemistry

Bacteria such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes acidic microenvironment during infection. A biomaterial that exhibits tunable antimicrobial property in a pH dependent manner is potentially attractive. Herein, we presented a novel antibacterial hydrogel consisting of pH responsive and reversible catechol-boronate linkage formed between intrinsically bactericidal chlorinated catechol (catechol-Cl) and phenylboronic acid. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), oscillatory rheometry, and Johnson Kendall Roberts (JKR) contact mechanics testing confirmed the formation and dissociation of the complex in a pH dependent manner. When the hydrogel was treated with an acidic buffer (pH 3), the hydrogel exhibited excellent antimicrobial property against multiple strains of Gram-positive and negative bacteria including MRSA (up to 4 log₁₀ reduction from 10⁸ colony forming units/mL). At an acidic pH, catechol-Cl was unbound from the phenylboronic acid and available for killing bacteria. Conversely, when the hydrogel was treated with a basic buffer (pH 8.5), the hydrogel lost its antimicrobial property but also became non-cytotoxic. At a basic pH, the formation of catechol-boronate complex effectively reduce the exposure of the cytotoxic catechol-Cl to the surrounding. When further incubating the hydrogel in an acidic pH, the reversible complex dissociated to re-expose catechol-Cl and the hydrogel recovered its antibacterial property. Overall, the combination of catechol-Cl and phenylboronic acid provide a new strategy for designing hydrogels with pH responsive antibacterial activity and reduced cytotoxicity.

Cohesion mechanisms for bioadhesives

Due to the nature of non-invasive wound closure, the ability to close different forms of leaks, and the potential to immobilize various devices, bioadhesives are altering clinical practices. As one of the vital factors, bioadhesives' strength is determined by adhesion and cohesion mechanisms. As well as being essential for adhesion strength, the cohesion mechanism also influences their bulk functions and the way the adhesives can be applied. Although there are many published reports on various adhesion mechanisms, cohesion mechanisms have rarely been addressed. In this review, we have summarized the most used cohesion mechanisms. Furthermore, the relationship of cohesion strategies and adhesion strategies has been discussed, including employing the same functional groups harnessed for adhesion, using combinational approaches, and exploiting different strategies for cohesion mechanism. By providing a comprehensive insight into cohesion strategies, the paper has been integrated to offer a roadmap to facilitate the commercialization of bioadhesives.

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Bioadhesive are altering clinical practices.

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Bioadhesives for medical applications needs different cohesion strategies.

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Better understanding of cohesion mechanism can design suitable bioadhesives.

Strong and bioactive bioinspired biomaterials, next generation of bone adhesives

The bone adhesive is a clinical requirement for complicated bone fractures always articulated by surgeons. Applying glue is a quick and easy way to fix broken bones. Adhesives, unlike conventional fixation methods such as wires and sutures, improve healing conditions and reduce postoperative pain by creating a complete connection at the fractured joint. Despite many efforts in the field of bone adhesives, the creation of a successful adhesive with robust adhesion and appropriate bioactivity for the treatment of bone fractures is still in its infancy. Because of the resemblance of the body's humid environment to the underwater environment, in the latest decades, researchers have pursued inspiration from nature to develop strong bioactive adhesives for bone tissue. The aim of this review article is to discuss the recent state of the art in bone adhesives with a specific focus on biomimetic adhesives, their action mechanisms, and upcoming perspective. Firstly, the adhesive biomaterials with specific affinity to bone tissue are introduced and their rational design is studied. Consequently, various types of synthetic and natural bioadhesives for bone tissue are comprehensively overviewed. Then, bioinspired-adhesives are described, highlighting relevant structures and examples of biomimetic adhesives mainly made of DOPA and the complex coacervates inspired by proteins secreted in mussel and sandcastle worms, respectively. Finally, this article overviews the challenges of the current bioadhesives and the future research for the improvement of the properties of biomimetic adhesives for use as bone adhesives.

Recombinant mussel protein Pvfp5β enhances cell adhesion of poly(vinyl alcohol)/k-carrageenan hydrogel scaffolds

Polymeric hydrogels are increasingly considered as scaffolds for tissue engineering due to their extraordinary resemblance with the extracellular matrix (ECM) of many tissues. As cell adhesion is a key factor in regulating important cell functions, hydrogel scaffolds are often functionalized or loaded with a variety of bioactive molecules that can promote adhesion. Interesting biomimetic approaches exploit the properties of mussel-inspired recombinant adhesive proteins. In this work, we prepared hydrogel scaffolds with a 50%w mixture of k-carrageenan (kC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), by a two-step physical gelation process, and we coated them with Perna viridis foot protein-5β (Pvfp5β). The mechanical and morphological properties of hydrogels were investigated both after conditioning with typical cell culture media and also after coating with the Pvfp5β. The protein resulted strongly adsorbed onto the surface of the hydrogel and also able to penetrate in its interiors to a certain depth, mainly interacting with the kC component of the scaffold as resulted from the confocal analysis. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts NIH-3T3 were seeded on top of the hydrogels and cultured up to two weeks. The role of Pvfp5β in promoting cell adhesion, spreading and colonization of the scaffold was demonstrated.

Metal Ion-Directed Functional Metal-Phenolic Materials

Metal ions are ubiquitous in nature and play significant roles in assembling functional materials in fields spanning chemistry, biology, and materials science. Metal-phenolic materials are assembled from phenolic components in the presence of metal ions through the formation of metal-organic complexes. Alkali, alkali-earth, transition, and noble metal ions as well as metalloids interacting with phenolic building blocks have been widely exploited to generate diverse hybrid materials. Despite extensive studies on the synthesis of metal-phenolic materials, a comprehensive summary of how metal ions guide the assembly of phenolic compounds is lacking. A fundamental understanding of the roles of metal ions in metal-phenolic materials engineering will facilitate the assembly of materials with specific and functional properties. In this review, we focus on the diversity and function of metal ions in metal-phenolic material engineering and emerging applications. Specifically, we discuss the range of underlying interactions, including (i) cation-π, (ii) coordination, (iii) redox, and (iv) dynamic covalent interactions, and highlight the wide range of material properties resulting from these interactions. Applications (e.g., biological, catalytic, and environmental) and perspectives of metal-phenolic materials are also highlighted.

UV-assisted ultrafast construction of robust Fe3O4/polydopamine/Ag Fenton-like catalysts for highly efficient micropollutant decomposition

Fenton-like catalysts represent a family of promising materials to degrade micropollutants from contaminated water. However, the practical applications of Fenton-like catalysts are mainly limited by low catalytic degradation efficiency and stability. Herein, for the first time, rapid fabrication of Ag-decorated Fe₃O₄/polydopamine (FPA) microspheres was achieved via the help of UV irradiation, and the designed FPA microspheres were employed as Fenton-like catalysts to degrade micropollutants. Results showed that UV irradiation could activate the generation of the polydopamine shell and accelerate the Ag deposition, which played a crucial role in the rapid synthesis of highly active and stable FPA catalysts. Relative to reported catalysts, these FPA microspheres exhibited outstanding catalytic degradation performance, achieving 94.38% removal of tetracycline within 60 min. This work will provide a convenient strategy in the sustainable and efficient purification of wastewater to improve the quality of human life.

Polydopamine nanoparticles and hyaluronic acid hydrogels for mussel-inspired tissue adhesive nanocomposites

Bioadhesives are intended to facilitate the fast and efficient reconnection of tissues to restore their functionality after surgery or injury. The use of mussel-inspired hydrogel systems containing pendant catechol moieties is promising for tissue attachment under wet conditions. However, the adhesion strength is not yet ideal. One way to overcome these limitations is to add polymeric nanoparticles to create nanocomposites with improved adhesion characteristics. To further enhance adhesiveness, polydopamine nanoparticles with controlled size prepared using an optimized process, were combined with a mussel-inspired hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel to form a nanocomposite. The effects of sizes and concentrations of polydopamine nanoparticles on the adhesive profiles of mussel-inspired HA hydrogels were investigated. Results show that the inclusion of polydopamine nanoparticles in nanocomposites increased adhesion strength, as compared to the addition of poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), and PLGA-(N-hydroxysuccinimide) (PLGA-NHS) nanoparticles. A nanocomposite with demonstrated cytocompatibility and an optimal lap shear strength (47 ± 3 kPa) was achieved by combining polydopamine nanoparticles of 200 nm (12.5% w/v) with a HA hydrogel (40% w/v). This nanocomposite adhesive shows its potential as a tissue glue for biomedical applications.

Comparative proteomics for an in-depth understanding of bioadhesion mechanisms and evolution across metazoans

Bioadhesion is a critical process for many marine and freshwater invertebrate animals. Bioadhesives mainly made of proteins have remarkable adhesive ability underwater. Unraveling the molecular composition of bioadhesives is fundamental to understanding their physiological roles as well as their potential for biotechnology applications and antibiofouling strategies. With the development of high-throughput methods such as proteomics, bioadhesive protein data in diverse taxa are rapidly accumulating, but the common mechanism across species is elusive due to the vast variety of bioadhesives. In this review, bioadhesive proteins from various taxa are reviewed, with the aim of facilitating researchers to appreciate the diversity of bioadhesive proteins (mostly 20-40) across species. By comparing proteomes across species, it was found that glycine-rich, epidermal growth factor, peroxidase, and DOPA together with typical extracellular domains are the most commonly used domains. Additionally, permanent and temporary adhesion show obvious differences in terms of domains or proteins. A basic recipe for bioadhesives composed of six components is proposed: structural elements, extracellular domains, modification enzymes, proteinase inhibitors, cytoskeletal proteins, and others. The extracellular domains are mostly related to interactions with other macromolecules (proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids), suggesting that domain shuffling and macromolecule interaction might be fundamental for bioadhesive evolution.

In situ self-assembly of polydopamine inside injectable hydrogels: antibacterial activity and photothermal therapy for superbug-infected wound healing

Ideal antibacterial hydrogel wound dressing triggered by the in situ self-assembly of the PDA NPs inside the gel.

Bio-based and bio-inspired adhesives from animals and plants for biomedical applications

With the "many-headed" slime mold Physarum polycelphalum having been voted the unicellular organism of the year 2021 by the German Society of Protozoology, we are reminded that a large part of nature's huge variety of life forms is easily overlooked - both by the general public and researchers alike. Indeed, whereas several animals such as mussels or spiders have already inspired many scientists to create novel materials with glue-like properties, there is much more to discover in the flora and fauna. Here, we provide an overview of naturally occurring slimy substances with adhesive properties and categorize them in terms of the main chemical motifs that convey their stickiness, i.e., carbohydrate-, protein-, and glycoprotein-based biological glues. Furthermore, we highlight selected recent developments in the area of material design and functionalization that aim at making use of such biological compounds for novel applications in medicine - either by conjugating adhesive motifs found in nature to biological or synthetic macromolecules or by synthetically creating (multi-)functional materials, which combine adhesive properties with additional, problem-specific (and sometimes tunable) features.

Progress and Principle of Drug Nanocrystals for Tumor Targeted Delivery

Drugs are referred to as drug nanocrystals when they exist as nanoscale crystal structures. This kind of nanocarrier has been widely utilized to increase the solubility and absorption for poorly aqueous soluble drugs after oral administration, or prolong the drug circulation when intravenous administration. The systemic cytotoxicity caused by antitumor drugs usually come from the nonspecific drug distribution. To solve the disadvantage of poor targetability, drug nanocrystals for tumor targeted delivery have been developed in recent years. In this review, the targeting mechanisms of various surface modified drug nanocrystals are introduced with the focus on passive targeting, active targeting and stimuli-responsive targeting in details. Function and application of common surface modified materials are also discussed.

Enhancing resin-dentin bond durability using a novel mussel-inspired monomer

Numerous approaches have been developed to improve the resin-dentin bond performance, among which the bio-application of mussel-derived compounds have drawn great attention recently. To assess the performance of N-(3,4-dihydroxyphenethyl)methacrylamide (DMA), a mussel-derived compound, as a functional monomer in dental adhesive, its potential property to cross-link with dentin collagen and polymerize with adhesive will first be evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), attenuated total reflectance technique of Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) via Peakforce QNM mode. After validating the influence of DMA on collagen and adhesive separately, the overall performance of DMA/ethanol solution as a primer in dentin bonding was examined using micro-tensile bond strength (μTBS) testing, fracture pattern observation, and nanoleakage evaluation both immediately and after 10,000 times thermocycling aging. The inhibitory effect of DMA on endogenous metalloproteinases (MMPs) was evaluated by in situ zymography using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and the cytotoxicity of DMA was evaluated using cell counting kit-8. Results demonstrated that DMA successfully cross-linked with dentin collagen via non-covalent bonds and had no influence on the polymerization and mechanical properties of the adhesive. Furthermore, even after 10,000 times thermocycling aging, the μTBS and nanoleakage expression of the DMA-treated groups showed no significant change compared with their immediate values. In situ zymography revealed reduced endogenous proteolytic activities after the application of DMA, and no cytotoxicity effect was observed for DMA concentration up to 25 ​μmol/L. Thus, DMA could be used as a novel, biocompatible functional monomer in dentin bonding.

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DMA acts as a functional monomer in dentin bonding system with high biocompatibility.

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DMA connects the adhesive and collagen network to resist various external attacks.

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DMA/ethanol inhibits the activity of MMPs and improve resin-dentin bond durability.

On-Demand Manufacturing Capabilities of Mussels Enable Robust Adhesion to Geometrically Complex Surfaces

Marine mussels have the remarkable ability to adhere to a variety of natural and artificial surfaces under hostile environmental conditions. Although the molecular composition of mussel adhesives has been well studied, a mechanistic understanding of the physical origins of mussels' impressive adhesive strength remains elusive. Here, we investigated the role of substrate geometry in the adhesive performance of mussels. Experimentally, we created substrates with differing surface properties using 3D printing and laser drilling and introduced these to mussels, which in turn adhered to the engineered surfaces via plaque-thread byssal structures. Tensile testing with in situ imaging was conducted to quantify the adhesion strength of the mussel plaques, and the microstructures of the mechanically deformed plaques were characterized using scanning electron microscopy. Our results reveal that the geometry of the surfaces has no significant impact on the detachment force and the strain, whereas the change in adhesion area leads to a different adhesion stress. Ultrastructural analysis confirms the expected presence of an open-cell foamy network coated with the cuticle. The observed detachment dynamics and failure mechanisms do vary depending on the substrate properties, suggesting the presence of substrate-dependent nonuniform stress distributions at the interface. Together, these results show mussels' remarkable ability to adapt to differing physical conditions and demonstrate the importance of the on-demand and in situ manufacturing of the stiff cuticle and relatively compliant adhesive interlayer. The resultant composite structure avoids the formation of prestress during the formation of the adhesive joint, provides conformability to the surface, and helps compensate for local bending interactions to maintain adhesive strength. Our findings suggest forward design strategies to improve adhesive performance on complex surfaces.

Marine Polysaccharides for Wound Dressings Application: An Overview

Wound dressings have become a crucial treatment for wound healing due to their convenience, low cost, and prolonged wound management. As cutting-edge biomaterials, marine polysaccharides are divided from most marine organisms. It possesses various bioactivities, which allowing them to be processed into various forms of wound dressings. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the application of marine polysaccharides in wound dressings is particularly important for the studies of wound therapy. In this review, we first introduce the wound healing process and describe the characteristics of modern commonly used dressings. Then, the properties of various marine polysaccharides and their application in wound dressing development are outlined. Finally, strategies for developing and enhancing marine polysaccharide wound dressings are described, and an outlook of these dressings is given. The diverse bioactivities of marine polysaccharides including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, haemostatic properties, etc., providing excellent wound management and accelerate wound healing. Meanwhile, these biomaterials have higher biocompatibility and biodegradability compared to synthetic ones. On the other hand, marine polysaccharides can be combined with copolymers and active substances to prepare various forms of dressings. Among them, emerging types of dressings such as nanofibers, smart hydrogels and injectable hydrogels are at the research frontier of their development. Therefore, marine polysaccharides are essential materials in wound dressings fabrication and have a promising future.

From vesicles to materials: bioinspired strategies for fabricating hierarchically structured soft matter

Certain organisms including species of mollusks, polychaetes, onychophorans and arthropods produce exceptional polymeric materials outside their bodies under ambient conditions using concentrated fluid protein precursors. While much is understood about the structure-function relationships that define the properties of such materials, comparatively less is understood about how such materials are fabricated and specifically, how their defining hierarchical structures are achieved via bottom-up assembly. Yet this information holds great potential for inspiring sustainable manufacture of advanced polymeric materials with controlled multi-scale structure. In the present perspective, we first examine recent work elucidating the formation of the tough adhesive fibres of the mussel byssus via secretion of vesicles filled with condensed liquid protein phases (coacervates and liquid crystals)-highlighting which design principles are relevant for bio-inspiration. In the second part of the perspective, we examine the potential of recent advances in drops and additive manufacturing as a bioinspired platform for mimicking such processes to produce hierarchically structured materials. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bio-derived and bioinspired sustainable advanced materials for emerging technologies (part 1)'.

A Strong Dual-Component Bioadhesive Based on Solventless Thiol-isocyanate Click Chemistry

Isocyanate is an efficient tissue anchor for engineering of strong bioadhesives. However, isocyanate-containing adhesives were seldom manufactured due to their requirement of water-free administration and time-consuming moisture-induced solidification. To address this issue, here, a solventless dual-component bioadhesive based on thiol-isocyanate cross-linking chemistry is reported. This dual-component bioadhesive consists of a hyperbranched polymer with thiol groups (HBPTE) and an isocyanate-modified polyethylene glycol (PEGNCO). HBPTE and PEGNCO are low-viscosity fluids at room temperature and hence could be used directly as adhesive components, in the absence of a catalyst and a solvent. The thiol-isocyanate click chemistry of components provides the HBPTE-PEGNCO mixture with a gelation time of 1.8-3 min, which makes it acceptable for practical applications. The abundance of isocyanate groups in the adhesive molecule provides strong bonding strength through formation of chemical linkages with reactive groups on the tissue. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo evaluations showed excellent biocompatibility of the HBPTE-PEGNCO adhesive. This dual-component bioadhesive based on solventless thiol-isocyanate click chemistry displayed a fast gelation time and excellent bonding performance, providing a pioneering idea for engineering isocyanate-containing bioadhesives.

In vitro evaluation of the anti-proteolytic and cross-linking effect of mussel-inspired monomer on the demineralized dentin matrix

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the anti-proteolytic and cross-linking effect of N-(3,4-dihydroxyphenethyl)methacrylamide (DMA) on the demineralized dentin matrix in vitro.

METHODS

Four experimental solutions were selected: 50% ethanol/water solution (Control); 1, 5, and 10 mmol/L DMA dissolved in 50% ethanol/water solution. Sound human molars were sectioned to produce dentin beams with dimension of 1×1×6 mm. The dentin beams were demineralized with 10% phosphoric acid for 8 h to remove the apatite. The demineralized specimens were randomly separated into four groups and immersed in the four experimental solutions for 1 h. After the treatment, the ultimate tensile strength (UTS), loss of dry mass and the release of hydroxyproline by storing the treated specimens in 0.1 mg/mL collagenase solution for 24 h were assessed. The swelling ratio of another ten specimens from each group were evaluated. The interaction between DMA with dentin matrix was observed under Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). UTS data was analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey test, and the other data was analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey test (α = 0.05).

RESULTS

The two-way ANOVA factors, different solutions (p < 0.001), collagenase degradation (p < 0.001) and their interactions (p < 0.001) all significantly affected the UTS. The 10 mM DMA treatment significantly decreased the percentage of loss of dry mass, release of hydroxyproline and swelling ratio of demineralized dentin matrix compared to other treatment groups (p < 0.05). The FESEM observation depicted that with increasing concentration of DMA, the structure of dentin matrix was protected and the porosity within dentin collagen network was decreased.

CONCLUSIONS

The treatment by 10 mM DMA/ethanol solution for 1 hour is capable of enhancing the mechanical properties of demineralized dentin matrix against collagenase degradation and may be clinically useful to improve the durability of hybrid layer.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The 10 mM DMA/ethanol primer may offer an alternative choice for dentists to strengthen the mechanical properties of demineralized dentin matrix and resist its degradation by collagenase.