Thiolated poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogels as a degradable biocompatible scaffold for tissue engineering

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Degradable hydrogels with tissue-like properties are vital for drug delivery, tissue engineering, and biomedical devices.
• Developing advanced hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties and controlled degradation is a key research area.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and optimize novel poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-2-(acetylthio) ethyl methacrylate-co-2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) [P(HEMA-ATEMA-MPC)] hydrogels.
• To investigate the impact of chemical composition, crosslinking, and polymer molar mass on hydrogel properties.
• To evaluate in vitro and in vivo degradation, protein adsorption, and cell interactions.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of P(HEMA-ATEMA-MPC) hydrogel precursors via reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization.
• Characterization of hydrogel mechanical properties (elastic modulus) and degradation (in vitro with glutathione, in vivo via subcutaneous implantation in rats).
• Assessment of protein adsorption (albumin, γ-globulin, fibrinogen) and rat mesenchymal stromal cell adhesion and proliferation on modified hydrogel surfaces (RGDS peptide, laminin).

Main Results:

• Hydrogel elastic modulus increased with higher crosslinking degrees.
• Higher crosslinking retarded both in vitro and in vivo degradation rates.
• Laminin coating significantly enhanced rat mesenchymal stromal cell proliferation compared to RGDS peptide modification.

Conclusions:

• P(HEMA-ATEMA-MPC) hydrogels offer tunable mechanical properties and controlled degradation.
• Crosslinking degree is a critical factor influencing hydrogel degradation kinetics.
• Surface modification with biomolecules like laminin can significantly improve cellular responses for enhanced tissue engineering applications.