A Dual-Bioinspired Tissue Adhesive Based on Peptide Dendrimer with Fast and Strong Wet Adhesion

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Adhesive Technology
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Existing tissue adhesives face limitations like slow adhesion, low mechanical strength, and poor bonding with wet tissues.
• Traditional sutures are invasive and can cause scarring.
• There is a need for advanced adhesives that overcome these challenges for improved surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel double-bioinspired hydrogel adhesive (DBHA) with enhanced adhesion kinetics, mechanical strength, and interfacial bonding for wet biological tissues.
• To evaluate the performance of DBHA compared to commercial bio-glues and traditional adhesives both ex vivo and in vivo.
• To explore potential applications in tissue repair and hemostasis.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of DBHA using chitosan, carboxymethyl cellulose, and catechol-grafted lysine dendrimers (G3KPCA).
• Assessment of adhesion strength and toughness on various ex vivo tissue surfaces, including porcine skin, in the presence of blood.
• In vivo evaluation of DBHA for hemostasis in rabbit artery trauma and wound healing in tissue incisions.

Main Results:

• DBHA demonstrated significantly stronger tissue adhesion and enhanced toughness compared to commercial bio-glues and traditional adhesives.
• The adhesive exhibited fast, strong, tough, and durable adhesion to diverse ex vivo tissues, with adhesion energy up to 900 J m^-2.
• In vivo studies confirmed DBHA's effective hemostasis and superior wound healing compared to commercial alternatives.

Conclusions:

• The developed DBHA represents a novel strategy for creating fast and strong wet adhesives.
• DBHA shows significant potential for applications in soft robotics, tissue adhesives, and hemostats.
• This bioinspired approach offers a promising alternative to conventional surgical closure methods.