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Updated: Oct 4, 2025
Layered Alginate Constructs: A Platform for Co-culture of Heterogeneous Cell Populations
Published on: August 7, 2016
Development and characterization of cannabidiol-loaded alginate copper hydrogel for repairing open bone defects in
Jianchao Qi1, Zhe Zheng2, Liqiu Hu2
1Department of Joint and Orthopedics, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, PR China; Department of Emergency surgery, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, PR China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment, PR China.
Abstract:
The clinical treatment of open bone defects caused by accidental bone trauma, bone tumors, bone diseases and bone infections is challenging. In this study, we designed and fabricated a multifunctional alginate-based hydrogel that contains cannabidiol (CBD), SA@Cu/CBD hydrogel, for repairing open bone defects. The results of physicochemical characterization showed that the SA@Cu/CBD hydrogel was successfully prepared and showed a suitable swelling ratio, high thermal stability, and stable mechanical properties. In vitro evaluation of antibacterial activity indicated that more than 90% of S. aureus and E. coli were inhibited compared to the control group. The ALP activity assay showed that the ALP expression level of MC3T3-E1cells in SA@Cu/CBD hydrogel was approximately 2-fold higher than that in the control group on day 7 and 14. Additionally, compared to the control group, the level of mineralized deposits in SA@Cu/CBD hydrogel was also improved by about 2 times on day 14. The PCR results indicated the mRNA expression levels of osteogenic markers (ALP, Col1α1, OCN, and RUNX2 genes) and angiogenic markers (EGFL6 and VEGF genes) in SA@Cu/CBD hydrogel were significantly upregulated compared to that in the control group, and the mRNA expression levels of critical inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β) in the SA@Cu/CBD hydrogel were significantly down-regulated compared to that in SA@Cu hydrogel. Taken together, these results demonstrated that the SA@Cu/CBD hydrogel showed significantly anti-bacterial, anti-inflammation, angiogenic and osteogenic activities in vitro studies. Thus, SA@Cu/CBD hydrogels may be a promising candidate in repairing open bone defects.
