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Cytocompatibility Evaluation of PEG-Methylsulfone Hydrogels.
Sara Trujillo1, Jennifer Kasper1, Adrián de Miguel-Jiménez1,2
1INM-Leibniz Institute for New Materials, campus D2 2, Saarbrücken 66123, Germany.
ACS Omega
|September 11, 2023
Summary
The methylsulfonyl-thiol (MS-SH) reaction enables the creation of cytocompatible poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG) hydrogels for cell encapsulation. This advanced hydrogel chemistry shows promise for in vivo applications due to its safety and lack of inflammatory response.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG) hydrogels are widely used for cell encapsulation.
- Methylsulfonyl-thiol (MS-SH) chemistry offers advantages for creating bioactive PEG hydrogels.
- Previous studies confirmed the cytocompatibility of cross-linked PEG-MS/thiol hydrogels, but the in situ reaction byproduct's safety was unevaluated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To extensively evaluate the cytocompatibility of PEG hydrogels during in situ cross-linking via the methylsulfonyl-thiol (MS-SH) reaction.
- To compare the MS-SH cross-linking system with the established maleimide-thiol chemistry.
- To assess the potential of MS-SH hydrogels for in vivo applications by examining cellular responses.
Main Methods:
- Performed in situ cytocompatibility studies on PEG hydrogels cross-linked using MS-SH chemistry.
- Compared cell viability and inflammatory responses with hydrogels cross-linked using maleimide-thiol chemistry.
- Assessed the viability of fibroblasts and endothelial cells, and the proinflammatory phenotype of endothelial cells and monocytes.
Main Results:
- Fibroblasts and endothelial cells remained viable after in situ polymerization of MS-SH gels.
- Cell viability with MS-SH chemistry was comparable or superior to maleimide-thiol chemistry.
- MS-SH chemistry showed low endothelial cell proinflammatory phenotype and no monocyte activation.
Conclusions:
- The methylsulfonyl-thiol (MS-SH) cross-linking reaction is cytocompatible.
- MS-SH chemistry does not induce significant pro-inflammatory responses in endothelial cells and monocytes.
- These findings support the eligibility of MS-SH chemistries for in vivo testing and potential clinical applications.
