Lignin-Based Mucus-Mimicking Antiviral Hydrogels with Enzyme Stability and Tunable Porosity

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Infectious Disease Research

Background:

• Mucus acts as a vital protective hydrogel barrier in the human body.
• Increasing viral infections highlight the need for advanced mucus-mimicking hydrogels for antiviral drug development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize gram-scale, biocompatible, lignin-based virus-binding inhibitors.
• To create mucus-mimicking hydrogels with tunable properties for efficient virus sequestration.
• To evaluate the antiviral and antibacterial efficacy of these novel hydrogels.

Main Methods:

• Gram-scale synthesis of lignin-based inhibitors functionalized with sulfate moieties.
• Cross-linking of inhibitors to form hydrogels with mucus-like rheology and surface functionality.
• Infection inhibition assays using human herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), influenza A viruses, and *Escherichia coli* (E. coli).

Main Results:

• Lignin-based hydrogels effectively mimicked native mucus properties.
• The degree of sulfation significantly influenced hydrogel mesh size and virus-hydrogel interactions.
• Demonstrated potent inhibition, reducing HSV-1 and E. coli by over 4 orders of magnitude.

Conclusions:

• Lignin-based hydrogels offer a sustainable and effective platform for developing virus-binding inhibitors.
• Tunable hydrogel properties allow for fine-tuning of antiviral and antibacterial efficacy.
• These materials show promise for designing novel antiviral agents and infection control strategies.