Supramolecular Cyclodextrin Supplements to Improve the Tissue Adhesion Strength of Gelatin Bioglues

A practical strategy to strengthen the inherent tissue adhesiveness of bioglues was investigated without compromising their chemical structure. A simple blending of α-cyclodextrins (α-CDs) in gelatin glues substantially improved the adhesiveness of the glues upon contact with porcine skin. Interestingly, the adhesiveness was even further enhanced when the glues were supplemented with γ-CDs through the formation of multivalent supramolecular networks inside of the glue. In contrast, the effect of β-CDs was rather limited because their water solubility is relatively low. A model study using modified gold substrates demonstrated that CDs also interacted with biomolecules naturally present in skin, thereby improving the adhesiveness. Altogether, we suggest that the supramolecular networking of CDs, both inside the glue and at the glue-skin interface, could reinforce tissue adhesiveness of bioglues, which allows them to be of great relevance to a primary treatment modality for larger skin incisions.