Three-dimensionally printable shear-thinning triblock copolypeptide hydrogels with antimicrobial potency

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Hydrogels are versatile biomaterials with applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery.
• Developing advanced hydrogels with tunable properties like printability and bioactivity remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To rationally design and synthesize novel triblock copolypeptides for extrusion printing.
• To impart antimicrobial properties and high shape retention to the resulting hydrogels.
• To investigate the composition-dependent antimicrobial efficacy of these engineered hydrogels.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of block sequence controlled triblock copolypeptides containing cysteine, tyrosine, and lysine or glutamic acid.
• Characterization of copolypeptide properties for extrusion printability.
• Fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel structures using extrusion printing.
• Evaluation of antimicrobial activity through contact-killing assays.

Main Results:

• Successfully devised triblock copolypeptides with specific block functionalities.
• Demonstrated extrusion printability of hydrogels with excellent shape retention for complex 3D structures.
• Elucidated potent, composition-dependent antimicrobial activity against relevant pathogens.

Conclusions:

• Rationally designed triblock copolypeptides offer a promising platform for creating advanced, functional hydrogels.
• These materials enable the 3D printing of intricate structures with inherent antimicrobial properties.
• The developed hydrogels hold potential for applications requiring both structural integrity and infection prevention.