Biocompatibility of chemoenzymatically derived dextran-acrylate hydrogels

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Drug Delivery

Background:

• Dextran-acrylate hydrogels are synthesized chemoenzymatically.
• Evaluating hydrogel biocompatibility is crucial for biomedical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility of dextran-acrylate hydrogels.
• To determine the suitability of these hydrogels for long-term peptide/protein delivery or tissue engineering scaffolds.

Main Methods:

• In vitro cytotoxicity assays using human foreskin fibroblasts.
• In vivo subcutaneous and intramuscular implantation in Wistar rats for up to 40 days.
• Histological evaluation of tissue response and implant degradation.

Main Results:

• Hydrogel extracts showed minimal reduction (<10%) in fibroblast mitochondrial activity.
• Direct cell contact resulted in high cellular proliferation inhibition index (CPII), likely due to mechanical stress or oxygen diffusion limits, not cytotoxicity.
• Indirect cell contact showed CPII <16%, and cell-material interaction studies indicated non-adhesiveness.
• In vivo studies demonstrated acceptable biocompatibility with normal cellular response and no necrosis.
• A foreign-body reaction was observed, typical for non-degradable biocompatible materials, with a thin fibrous capsule and immune cells surrounding the implants after 6 weeks.

Conclusions:

• Dextran-acrylate hydrogels exhibit non-cytotoxicity and non-adhesiveness in vitro.
• The hydrogels demonstrate acceptable biocompatibility in vivo, with a foreign-body response characteristic of stable, non-degradable materials.
• These dextran hydrogels are promising candidates for implantable long-term peptide/protein delivery systems and tissue engineering scaffolds.