Arginine-based polyester amide/polysaccharide hydrogels and their biological response

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Biodegradable hydrogels are crucial for tissue regeneration and drug delivery.
• Chitosan-based materials offer biocompatibility but often require modification for enhanced functionality.
• Arginine incorporation can improve biological activity and biodegradability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate novel biodegradable cationic hybrid hydrogels.
• To investigate the physicochemical, biodegradation, and biological properties of these hydrogels.
• To evaluate their potential as wound healing accelerators.

Main Methods:

• UV photocrosslinking of unsaturated arginine-based poly(ester amide) (Arg-UPEA) and glycidyl methacrylate chitosan (GMA-chitosan) in an aqueous medium.
• Characterization of chemical structure, swelling ratio, compressive modulus, morphology, and biodegradation.
• In vitro cytotoxicity assays using porcine aortic valve smooth muscle cells and 3T3 fibroblasts.
• Assessment of inflammatory responses (TNF-α, NO production) and arginase activity in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Main Results:

• The hybrid hydrogels exhibited tunable swelling and mechanical properties.
• Lysozyme effectively accelerated hydrogel biodegradation.
• The hydrogels demonstrated excellent biocompatibility with smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts.
• Activation of TNF-α, NO production, and elevated arginase activity were observed in macrophages.
• The integrated Arg-UPEA provided balanced NO production and arginase activity superior to free arginine.

Conclusions:

• Biodegradable Arg-UPEA/GMA-chitosan hybrid hydrogels were successfully synthesized.
• These hydrogels possess favorable biocompatibility and tunable biological responses.
• The enhanced NO and arginase activity suggest significant potential for wound healing acceleration.