Nucleoside-Based Cross-Linkers for Hydrogels with Tunable Properties

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Developing novel cross-linkers for biopolymer hydrogels is crucial for advanced material applications.
• Existing cross-linking methods may have limitations in biocompatibility or tunability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize bioderived dialdehyde cross-linkers from nucleosides and ribose.
• To create tunable chitosan-based hydrogels using these novel cross-linkers.
• To investigate the properties and potential applications of the resulting hydrogels.

Main Methods:

• Partial oxidation of nucleosides (inosine, uridine) and ribose to yield dialdehydes (IdA, UdA, RdA).
• Hydrogel formation via cross-linking of dialdehydes with chitosan.
• Rheological, mechanical, and liquid holding property assessments.
• Computational modeling and molecular dynamics simulations for cross-linking mechanism analysis.
• Application testing in plant cell culture, 3D printing, and soft lithography.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized inosine dialdehyde (IdA), uridine dialdehyde (UdA), and ribose dialdehyde (RdA).
• Chitosan hydrogels exhibited tunable properties (rheological, mechanical, liquid holding) based on cross-linker type and concentration.
• Hydrogels demonstrated injectability, softness, and moldability.
• Both covalent and noncovalent interactions (π-π stacking, cation-π, H-bonding) were identified as key to hydrogel formation.
• Hydrogels supported plant cell growth, served as injectable inks for 3D printing, and were used for soft lithography.

Conclusions:

• Bioderived dialdehydes offer a versatile platform for creating tunable chitosan hydrogels.
• The hydrogels possess properties suitable for diverse biotechnological applications.
• Noncovalent interactions play a significant role in the cross-linking mechanism, enhancing material properties.