Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 17, 2025
10:28
An Injectable and Drug-loaded Supramolecular Hydrogel for Local Catheter Injection into the Pig Heart
Published on: June 7, 2015
17.7K
In Vivo Retention Quantification of Supramolecular Hydrogels Engineered for Cardiac Delivery.
Maaike J G Schotman1, Marijn M C Peters2, Gerard C Krijger3
1Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 7, Eindhoven, 5612 AZ, The Netherlands.
Advanced Healthcare Materials
|February 15, 2021
Summary
Injectable hydrogels show promise for cardiac regeneration. This study developed a radioactive imaging method to track hydrogel retention in pigs, finding bioactive hydrogels significantly improved retention for enhanced drug delivery.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Injectable hydrogels are promising for cardiac regeneration, but their retention and efficacy are limited by immediate flush-out.
- Quantitative in vivo imaging is needed to correlate cardiac function with hydrogel retention.
- Supramolecular materials offer enhanced properties for biomedical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a quantitative in vivo imaging method for tracking injectable hydrogels in cardiac applications.
- To compare the retention of non-bioactive and bioactive supramolecular hydrogels in a large animal model.
- To establish the relationship between hydrogel retention and potential therapeutic efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Development of a supramolecular ureido-pyrimidinone modified poly(ethylene glycol) (UPy-PEG) hydrogel.
- Synthesis of a radioactive label (UPy-DOTA-111In) for in vivo imaging.
- Incorporation of a UPy-functionalized recombinant collagen type 1 (UPy-PEG-RCPhC1) to enhance bioactivity and adhesion.
- In vivo tracking and quantification of hydrogel retention in a porcine heart model using radioactive imaging.
Main Results:
- Successful in vivo tracking of both non-bioactive and bioactive supramolecular hydrogels.
- Quantification of hydrogel retention in the porcine heart.
- Cardiac retention values of 8% for UPy-PEG and 16% for UPy-PEG-RCPhC1 hydrogel at 4 hours postinjection.
- Demonstrated that bioactive hydrogels exhibit improved retention.
Conclusions:
- Hydrogel retention at the target site is crucial for the efficacy of cardiac regeneration therapies.
- The developed radioactive imaging method allows for in vivo quantification of hydrogel retention.
- Bioactive supramolecular hydrogels, like UPy-PEG-RCPhC1, show enhanced retention, suggesting improved therapeutic potential.
