Multifunctional Double-Network Hydrogel with Porous, Adhesive, and Immunomodulatory Properties for Minimally Invasive...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Minimally invasive soft tissue defect repair faces challenges due to limitations in current biomaterials.
• Existing biomaterials often lack a combination of essential properties like adhesion, injectability, and bioactivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a multifunctional double-network composite hydrogel for soft tissue defect repair.
• To assess the hydrogel's injectability, adhesion, mechanical properties, and biological effects.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized a composite hydrogel from modified hyaluronic acid (HA) and silk fibroin (SF) using stepwise gelation.
• Incorporated ferric ions for dynamic crosslinking and sonication-induced β-sheets for secondary network formation.
• Loaded curcumin particles to impart anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic properties.

Main Results:

• The hydrogel exhibited rapid adhesion, tunable mechanical strength, reduced swelling, and controlled degradation.
• Curcumin loading promoted M2 macrophage polarization and reduced fibrotic markers.
• Demonstrated in situ injectability and printability in porcine vocal fold models and confirmed cytocompatibility in rat models.

Conclusions:

• The developed HA-SF hydrogel is a promising injectable biomaterial for minimally invasive soft tissue repair.
• Its unique properties address key challenges in tissue regeneration, particularly for dynamic tissues like vocal folds.