Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2025
Injectable Supramolecular Polymer-Nanoparticle Hydrogels for Cell and Drug Delivery Applications
Published on: February 7, 2021
Alleviate Periodontitis and Its Comorbidity Hypertension using a Nanoparticle-Embedded Functional Hydrogel System.
Shuo Xu1,2, Bin Hu3,4, Ting Dong2,5
1Department of Periodontology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, 200062, China.
A novel hydrogel effectively treats periodontitis and hypertension simultaneously. This dual-action therapy, using chitosan-antimicrobial peptide hydrogel with curcumin nanoparticles, offers a promising solution for managing these common comorbidities.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Periodontology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
Background:
- Periodontitis and hypertension frequently coexist, necessitating integrated treatment strategies.
- Current treatments often address these conditions separately, leading to suboptimal patient outcomes.
- Developing a single therapeutic agent for co-treatment is a significant clinical challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a controlled-release composite hydrogel with dual antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties for the co-treatment of periodontitis and hypertension.
- To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of the hydrogel in a preclinical model.
- To elucidate the underlying therapeutic mechanisms of the hydrogel.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a dual antibacterial hydrogel (CS-PA) by cross-linking chitosan (CS) with antimicrobial peptide (AMP)-modified polyethylene glycol (PEG).
- Loading curcumin into biodegradable nanoparticles (CNP) for sustained anti-inflammatory release and embedding them within the CS-PA hydrogel.
- In vivo assessment of the CS-PA/CNP hydrogel in a mouse model of periodontitis complicated with hypertension, followed by mechanistic studies.
Main Results:
- The CS-PA/CNP hydrogel demonstrated optimal therapeutic effects on both periodontitis and hypertension in the mouse model.
- Mechanistic studies revealed that CS-PA/CNP modulated immune responses by suppressing lymphocyte and myeloid cell accumulation.
- The hydrogel enhanced macrophage antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity via the glutathione metabolism pathway.
Conclusions:
- The developed CS-PA/CNP hydrogel shows significant potential for the simultaneous co-treatment of periodontitis and hypertension.
- This composite hydrogel serves as a versatile drug delivery platform for complex diseases.
- The findings highlight the clinical translational value of this approach for managing periodontitis with comorbid conditions.
