Ion-Triggered Hydrogels Self-Assembled from Statistical Copolypeptides

Statistical copolypeptides comprising lysine and tyrosine with unprecedented ion-induced gelation behavior are reported. Copolypeptides are obtained by one-step N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) ring-opening polymerization. The gelation mechanism is studied by in situ SAXS analyses, in addition to optical spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is found that the gelation of these statistically polymerized polypeptides is due to the formation of stable intermolecular β-sheet secondary structures induced by the presence of salt ions as well as the aggregation of an α-helix between the copolypeptides. This behavior is unique to the statistical lysine/tyrosine copolypeptides and was not observed in any other amino acid combination or arrangement. Furthermore, the diffusion and mechanical properties of these hydrogels can be tuned through tailoring the polypeptide chain length and ion strength.

Antimicrobial and degradable triazolinedione (TAD) crosslinked polypeptide hydrogels

Hydrogels are perfectly suited to support cell and tissue growth in advanced tissue engineering applications as well as classical wound treatment scenarios. Ideal hydrogel materials for these applications should be easy to produce, biocompatible, resorbable and antimicrobial. Here we report the fabrication of degradable covalent antimicrobial lysine and tryptophan containing copolypeptide hydrogels, whereby the hydrogel properties can be independently modulated by the copolypeptide monomer ratio and chiral composition. Well-defined statistical copolypeptides comprising different overall molecular weights as well as ratios of l- and d-lysine and tryptophan at ratios of 35 : 15, 70 : 30 and 80 : 20 were obtained by N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) polymerisation and subsequently crosslinked by the selective reaction of bifunctional triazolinedione (TAD) with tryptophan. Real-time rheology was used to monitor the crosslinking reaction recording the fastest increase and overall modulus for copolypeptides with the higher tryptophan ratio. Water uptake of cylindrical hydrogel samples was dependent on crosslinking ratio but found independent of chiral composition, while enzymatic degradation proceeded significantly faster for samples containing more l-amino acids. Antimicrobial activity on a range of hydrogels containing different polypeptide chain lengths, lysine/tryptophan composition and l/d enantiomers was tested against reference laboratory strains of Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli; ATCC25922) and Gram-positive, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus; ATCC25923). log reductions of 2.8-3.4 were recorded for the most potent hydrogels. In vitro leachable cytotoxicity tests confirmed non-cytotoxicity as per ISO guidelines.

Crosslinking of Electrospun Fibres from Unsaturated Polyesters by Bis-Triazolinediones (TAD)

Crosslinking of an unsaturated aliphatic polyester poly(globalide) (PGl) by bistriazolinediones (bisTADs) is reported. First, a monofunctional model compound, phenyl-TAD (PTAD), was tested for PGl functionalisation. 1H-NMR showed that PTAD-ene reaction was highly efficient with conversions up to 97%. Subsequently, hexamethylene bisTAD (HM-bisTAD) and methylene diphenyl bisTAD (MDP-bisTAD) were used to crosslink electrospun PGl fibres via one- and two-step approaches. In the one-step approach, PGl fibres were collected in a bisTAD solution for in situ crosslinking, which resulted in incomplete crosslinking. In the two-step approach, a light crosslinking of fibres was first achieved in a PGl non-solvent. Subsequent incubation in a fibre swelling bisTAD solution resulted in fully amorphous crosslinked fibres. SEM analysis revealed that the fibres' morphology was uncompromised by the crosslinking. A significant increase of tensile strength from 0.3 ± 0.08 MPa to 2.7 ± 0.8 MPa and 3.9 ± 0.5 MPa was observed when PGI fibres were crosslinked by HM-bisTAD and MDP-bisTAD, respectively. The reported methodology allows the design of electrospun fibres from biocompatible polyesters and the modulation of their mechanical and thermal properties. It also opens future opportunities for drug delivery applications by selected drug loading.

Facile Approach to Covalent Copolypeptide Hydrogels and Hybrid Organohydrogels

Crosslinking of tryptophan (Trp) containing copolypeptides with varying ratios of benzyl-l-glutamate (BLG) and Nα-(carbobenzyloxy)-l-lysine (Z-Lys) is achieved by the selective reaction with hexamethylene-bis-TAD (bisTAD). Conversion of the resulting organogels into biocompatible hydrogels by full BLG or Z-Lys deprotection is demonstrated. Moreover, diffusion controlled deprotection allows the design of macroscopic hybrid organohydrogels comprising hydrophilic as well as hydrophobic regions at a desired ratio and position. FTIR and SEM analysis confirm the coexistence of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments in one copolypeptide piece. Selective loading of hydrogel and organogel segments with hydrophilic and hydrophobic dyes, respectively, is observed on macroscopic amphiphilic gels and films. These materials offer significant potential as dual-loaded drug release gels as well as tissue engineering platforms.