Microencapsulation of normal and transfected L929 fibroblasts in a HEMA-MMA copolymer

Gamma-Irradiated Gum Arabic Grafted with 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate: A Novel Superabsorbent Polymer for Controlled Folic Acid Release

This study explores the synthesis and characterization of superabsorbent hydrogels derived from chemically modified gum Arabic, designed for controlled folic acid release. The synthesis involves a two-step process: carboxymethylation followed by grafting with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate via gamma irradiation. The resulting hydrogels exhibit enhanced mechanical strength and controlled diffusivity, essential for nutrient delivery systems. Key factors such as copolymer composition and irradiation dose are investigated, affecting the synthesis process. Systematic studies of swelling behaviors reveal that the hydrogel achieves a maximum swelling of 888.1% at 40 °C. The hydrogels are loaded with folic acid, and in vitro, sustained release profiles are examined under various pH conditions. The maximum release of 83.3% is observed after 24 h at pH 7.0, following a Korsmeyer-Peppas release mechanism. Different characterization techniques, confirm the successful synthesis and unique properties of the superabsorbent hydrogels. Rheological behavior analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and biocompatibility assessments provide a comprehensive understanding of the hydrogel structures. Gamma irradiation ensures a homogeneous network structure, crucial for optimal swelling behavior and mechanical properties. This research highlights the potential of eco-friendly biopolymer hydrogels in precise drug delivery applications, leveraging the safety and process control benefits of gamma irradiation.

Synthesis, characterization and molecular dynamics simulation of the polyacrylates membranes

The aims of this paper are to investigate the inherent relationship between the structures of the polyacrylates and release behaviors as drug carriers in the transdermal drug delivery systems. Three model polyacrylates compounds were synthesized by radical polymerization. Three polymer materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, differential scanning calorimeter and cytotoxicity, and the release behaviors of drug molecules transporting through the polymers membranes were tested. Moreover, the effects of the polymers’ structures on the permeability were studied by molecular dynamic simulation. The simulation results showed that higher chains mobility and larger fractional free volume of the polymer membranes resulted in higher permeation rates. By comparing the monomers’ structure in the polymer materials, it was found that the polymer chains’ mobility decreases, and permeation rate correspondingly decreases with the increase in the amount and volume of side groups on the double bonds.

Cell microencapsulation with synthetic polymers

The encapsulation of cells into polymeric microspheres or microcapsules has permitted the transplantation of cells into human and animal subjects without the need for immunosuppressants. Cell-based therapies use donor cells to provide sustained release of a therapeutic product, such as insulin, and have shown promise in treating a variety of diseases. Immunoisolation of these cells via microencapsulation is a hotly investigated field, and the preferred material of choice has been alginate, a natural polymer derived from seaweed due to its gelling conditions. Although many natural polymers tend to gel in conditions favorable to mammalian cell encapsulation, there remain challenges such as batch to batch variability and residual components from the original source that can lead to an immune response when implanted into a recipient. Synthetic materials have the potential to avoid these issues; however, historically they have required harsh polymerization conditions that are not favorable to mammalian cells. As research into microencapsulation grows, more investigators are exploring methods to microencapsulate cells into synthetic polymers. This review describes a variety of synthetic polymers used to microencapsulate cells.

P(NIPAAM-co-HEMA) thermoresponsive hydrogels: an alternative approach for muscle cell sheet engineering

Loss of skeletal muscle tissue caused by traumatic injury or damage due to myopathies produces a deficit of muscle function for which there is still no clinical treatment. Transplantation of myogenic cells, themselves or combined with materials, has been proposed to increase the regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle but it is hampered by many limitations, such as low cell survival and engraftment or immunological reaction and low biocompatibility of the exogenous materials. Recently, myoblast sheet engineering, obtained with thermoresponsive culture dishes, has attracted attention as a new technique for muscle damage treatment. For this purpose, a series of thermoresponsive hydrogels, constituted by poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate) [p(NIPAAM-co-HEMA)] were synthesized by a simple and inexpensive free-radical polymerization of the two co-monomers with a redox initiator. Different ratios of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) have been examined to evaluate the effects on physicochemical, mechanical and optical hydrogel properties. The murine muscle cell line C₂ C₁₂ has been exploited to test the cytotoxicity of the thermoresponsive hydrogels, depending on different synthesis conditions. In this study, we have identified a thermoresponsive hydrogel that allows cell adhesion and viability, together with the detachment of viable sheet of muscle cells, giving the chance to develop further applications for muscle damage and disease. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Polymers in cell encapsulation from an enveloped cell perspective

In the past two decades, many polymers have been proposed for producing immunoprotective capsules. Examples include the natural polymers alginate, agarose, chitosan, cellulose, collagen, and xanthan and synthetic polymers poly(ethylene glycol), polyvinyl alcohol, polyurethane, poly(ether-sulfone), polypropylene, sodium polystyrene sulfate, and polyacrylate poly(acrylonitrile-sodium methallylsulfonate). The biocompatibility of these polymers is discussed in terms of tissue responses in both the host and matrix to accommodate the functional survival of the cells. Cells should grow and function in the polymer network as adequately as in their natural environment. This is critical when therapeutic cells from scarce cadaveric donors are considered, such as pancreatic islets. Additionally, the cell mass in capsules is discussed from the perspective of emerging new insights into the release of so-called danger-associated molecular pattern molecules by clumps of necrotic therapeutic cells. We conclude that despite two decades of intensive research, drawing conclusions about which polymer is most adequate for clinical application is still difficult. This is because of the lack of documentation on critical information, such as the composition of the polymer, the presence or absence of confounding factors that induce immune responses, toxicity to enveloped cells, and the permeability of the polymer network. Only alginate has been studied extensively and currently qualifies for application. This review also discusses critical issues that are not directly related to polymers and are not discussed in the other reviews in this issue, such as the functional performance of encapsulated cells in vivo. Physiological endocrine responses may indeed not be expected because of the many barriers that the metabolites encounter when traveling from the blood stream to the enveloped cells and back to circulation. However, despite these diffusion barriers, many studies have shown optimal regulation, allowing us to conclude that encapsulated grafts do not always follow nature's course but are still a possible solution for many endocrine disorders for which the minute-to-minute regulation of metabolites is mandatory.

Preparation of functional water-soluble low-cytotoxic poly(methacrylate)s with pendant cationic L-lysines for efficient gene delivery

In this work, we present the preparation of water-soluble poly(methacrylate)s with pendant cationic L-lysines PHMLs(6-30 K). Plasmid DNA binding affinity as well as particle sizes and zeta potentials of the polyplexes were examined for these PHML vectors, and their cytotoxicities were assayed with HeLa cells by CCK-8 and lactate dehydrogenase kits. Gene transfection efficacy and intracellular uptake of the polyplexes by the PHML vectors were also studied with HeLa cells. As a result, it was revealed that the low cytotoxic PHMLs tended to exhibit gene transfection efficiencies significantly higher than those of the linear structural PLL (15-30 K) control, in particular the molecular weight of a PHML vector remarkably influenced its pDNA binding affinity, transfection efficacy and intracellular uptake of the polyplexes.

Lysine-poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) modified polyurethane surface with high lysine density and fibrinolytic activity

We have developed a potentially fibrinolytic surface in which a bioinert polymer is used as a spacer to immobilize lysine such that the ε-amino group is free to capture plasminogen when in contact with blood. Adsorbed plasminogen can be activated to plasmin and potentially dissolve nascent clots formed on the surface. In previous work lysine was immobilized through a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) spacer; however, the graft density of PEG was limited and the resulting adsorbed quantity of plasminogen was insufficient to dissolve clots efficiently. The aim of the present work was to optimize the surface using graft-polymerized poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (poly(HEMA)) as a spacer to increase the grafting density of lysine. Such a poly(HEMA)-lysine modified polyurethane (PU) surface is expected to have increased plasminogen binding capacity and clot lysing efficiency compared with PEG-lysine modified PU. A lysine density of 2.81 nmol cm(-2) was measured on the PU-poly(HEMA)-Lys surface vs. 0.76 nmol cm(-2) on a comparable PU-PEG-Lys surface reported previously. The poly(HEMA)-lysine-modified surface was shown to reduce non-specific (fibrinogen) adsorption while binding plasminogen from plasma with high affinity. With increased plasminogen binding capacity these surfaces showed more rapid clot lysis (20 min) in a standard in vitro assay than the corresponding PEG-lysine system (40 min). The data suggest that poly(HEMA) is superior to PEG when used as a spacer in the immobilization of bioactive molecules at high density. This method of modification may also provide a generic approach for preparing bioactive PU surfaces of high activity and low non-specific adsorption of proteins.

IL-10 secretion increases signal persistence of HEMA-MMA-microencapsulated luciferase-modified CHO fibroblasts in mice

Microencapsulation of cells in a polymer membrane [e.g., poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) (HEMA-MMA)] has been proposed as a vehicle for the delivery of therapeutic biomolecules, but cells (especially xenogeneic cells) survive only for short times, limiting the utility of this approach. Murine interleukin-10 (mIL-10) has been shown to downregulate the xenogeneic immune response, and we tested the hypothesis that mIL-10 produced by microencapsulated Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells would modulate the transplant-site environment leading to prolonged cell function in a xenogeneic model without other immunomodulatory agents. Prior to encapsulation, CHO cells were genetically engineered to express mIL-10 and a firefly bioluminescence protein, luciferase, which allowed for noninvasive tracking of transplanted cells in vivo with the Xenogen IVIS Imaging System. This nondestructive imaging system was sufficiently sensitive to detect photon signal emitted by a single capsule containing around 800 luciferase-transduced CHO (CHO(LUC)) cells in vitro, and to track changes in luciferase expression in vivo over time. Effective modulation of the transplantation-site environment with mIL-10 secreted from capsules was evident by greater luciferase expression at 10 and 21 days after transplantation relative to encapsulated luciferase-transfected cells that did not produce mIL-10. Longer duration effects require further investigation to extend this proof-of-concept study.

Smart hydrogels based on itaconic acid for biomedical application

pH and temperature sensitive hydrogels, based on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and itaconic acid (IA) copolymers, were prepared by gamma irradiation and characterized in order to examine their potential use in biomedical applications. The influence of comonomer ratio in these smart copolymers on their morphology, mechanical properties, biocompatibility and microbe penetration capability was investigated. The mechanical properties of copolymers were investigated using the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), while their morphology was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphology and mechanical properties of these hydrogels were found to be suitable for most requirements of biomedical applications. The in vitro study of P(HEMA/IA) biocompatibility showed no evidence of cell toxicity nor any considerable hemolytic activity. Furthermore, the microbe penetration test showed that neither Staphylococcus aureus nor Escherichia coli passed through the hydogel dressing; thus the P(HEMA/IA) dressing could be considered a good barrier against microbes. All results indicate that stimuli-responsive P(HEMA/IA) hydrogels have great potential for biomedical applications, especially for skin treatment and wound dressings.

Synthesis and Characterization of Degradable p(HEMA) Microgels: Use of Acid-Labile Crosslinkers

New divinyl-functionalized acetal-based crosslinkers were synthesized as building elements to form acid-labile microgel particles for controlled-release applications. The synthesized crosslinkers underwent hydrolysis at slightly acidic pHs in less than 1 h while they were stable at neutral pHs for longer times. HEMA was copolymerized with the crosslinkers via an inverse emulsion polymerization technique using a redox initiator system at room temperature to form crosslinked, colloidal p(HEMA) microgels. Microgels in diameters ranging from 150 to 475 nm with narrow distribution could be produced. The crosslinking density and the diameter of the microgels were found to be controlled by monomer/crosslinker feed ratio. The microgels demonstrated a pH-dependent cleavage behavior that mimicked the pH-dependent hydrolysis profile of the acid-labile crosslinkers. Model biomacromolecules, i.e., Rhodamine B-labeled dextran and BSA were efficiently loaded into the microgels. The release of the biomolecules from p(HEMA) microgels was also found to be controllable by the pH of the environment similar to the particle degradation. The protein released from the microgels was observed to retain its structural stability.

pH- and temperature-responsive hydrogels from crosslinked triblock copolymers prepared via consecutive atom transfer radical polymerizations

Well-defined poly((2-dimethyl amino)ethyl methacrylate-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-poly((2-dimethyl amino)ethyl methacrylate-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), or P(DMAEMA-co-HEMA)-b-P(NIPAAm)-b-P(DMAEMA-co-HEMA), triblock copolymers were synthesized by consecutive atom transfer radical polymerizations (ATRPs), using ethylene glycol di-2-bromoisobutyrate (Br-EG-Br) as the starting ATRP initiator. The hydroxyl groups of the incorporated HEMA units were used as crosslinking sites for the preparation of smart hydrogels. The so-prepared hydrogels exhibited both temperature- and pH-sensitive behavior derived, respectively, and independently, from the P(NIPAAm) blocks and P(DMAEMA) units, in the crosslinked matrices. The hydrogels exhibited a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of 31-32 degrees C in aqueous media of pH 1-7, not unlike that of the P(NIPAAm) homopolymer. The swelling ratios and swelling/deswelling kinetics of the hydrogels depended strongly on pH and temperature of the medium. The copolymers were characterized by gel-permeation chromatography, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR) spectroscopy. The resultant stimuli-responsive hydrogels were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). These stimuli-responsive hydrogels will have potential applications in biomedical areas, such as tissue engineering and drug delivery.

Collagen-Coupled Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)–Si(111) Hybrid Surfaces for Cell Immobilization

To improve the biocompatibility of silicon-based implantable micro- and nanodevices, and to tailor silicon surfaces for controlled cell immobilization, well-defined functional polymer-Si(111) hybrids, consisting of nearly monodispersed poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate [P(HEMA)] with covalently coupled collagen and tethered (Si-C bonded) on the silicon surfaces, were prepared. HEMA was graft polymerized on the hydrogen-terminated Si(111) surface (Si-H surface) via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) to give rise to the Si-g-P(HEMA) hybrid. The active chloride end groups preserved throughout the ATRP process and the chloride groups converted from some (approximately 20%) of the OH groups of the P(HEMA) brushes were used as the leaving groups for nucleophilic reaction with the -NH2 groups of collagen to give rise to the Si-g-P(HEMA)-collagen surface conjugates. These hybrid surfaces were evaluated by culturing 3T3 fibroblasts. The biocompatible Si-g-P(HEMA) hybrid surface resisted attachment and growth of this cell line. The Si-g-P(HEMA)-collagen hybrid surfaces, on the other hand, exhibited good cell adhesion and growth characteristics, and the extent of cell immobilization could be controlled by adjusting the amount of immobilized collagen. Thus, incorporating the collagen-coupled P(HEMA) onto silicon surfaces via robust Si-C bonds may endow the silicon substrates with new and interesting properties for potential applications in silicon-based implantable devices, such as molecular sensors and biochips.

Conformal Coating of Mammalian Cells Immobilized onto Magnetically Driven Beads

A novel cell bead system, comprising a magnetic core, a spherical annulus of agarose-immobilized cells, all conformally coated within a synthetic polymer, is proposed as a means of immunoisolating mammalian cells in a system that provides a balance between low total implant volume, retrievability, and diffusion limitations. A successful immunoisolation system could be used to transplant cells without eliciting an inappropriate host response. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were immobilized at the periphery of large (approximately 2 mm) agarose beads containing inert magnetic cores (< or = 1 mm) and coated in a hydroxyethyl methacrylate-methyl methacrylate (HEMA-MMA) copolymer by interfacial precipitation. The beads were coated in liquid gradients containing polyethylene glycol 200 (PEG) or bromooctane. Although many cells were adversely affected by the coating process, the cells that did survive (30-50% of those loaded into the beads) remained viable for a period of at least 2 weeks. This viability was much higher than achieved previously because of a number of factors, such as the aqueous agarose, the hydrophobic bromooctane intermediate layer, and faster coating times that minimize the exposure of the cells to organic solvents. Also, a mathematical model was used to describe oxygen transport within the annular agarose beads. These results provide evidence that the proposed geometry and the fabrication approach may be useful for a variety of applications that involve cell encapsulation.

Biocompatible microcapsules with enhanced mechanical strength

A block copolymer, (short-chain alginate)-co-MPEG, was synthesized and used for coating the capsular membranes of the photosensitive microcapsules. The resulted microcapsules exhibited an excellent mechanical strength. The permeability test results revealed that the capsular membrane was freely permeable to cytochrome C and myoglobin, less permeable to serum albumin, and almost impermeable to IgG. In the cell attachment test, the results showed that the surface formed by (short-chain alginate)-co-MPEG copolymer could effectively reduce cell adhesion as compared to poly(L-lysine) and alginate. The microcapsules were evaluated by intraperitoneal implantation experiment of mice. The results demonstrated that microcapsules coated with (short-chain alginate)-co-MPEG were more biocompatible than the conventional alginate/PLL/alginate microcapsules.