Mechanically robust egg white protein hydrogels enabled by succinylation-assisted cyclic mineralization

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Materials Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Developing stable, natural protein hydrogels with controlled structures is crucial for sustainable materials.
• Egg white protein (EWP) offers potential but requires structural modification for enhanced functionality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a succinylation-assisted cyclic mineralization strategy for EWP hydrogels.
• To investigate the impact of mineralization on hydrogel structure, properties, and biological performance.

Main Methods:

• Succinylation of EWP to increase surface charge and ion-binding capacity.
• Cyclic immersion in Ca2+/HPO42- solutions for controlled in situ calcium phosphate deposition.
• Spectroscopic, microscopic, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations.
• In vitro cell culture studies with MC3T3-E1 preosteoblast cells.

Main Results:

• Mineralization increased inorganic content from 26.71% to 57.96% and adjusted Ca/P ratio from 0.5 to 1.61.
• Optimized hydrogels exhibited enhanced gel strength, hardness, and reduced swelling due to a denser microstructure.
• Simulations confirmed succinylation enhances protein-ion coordination, strengthening the hydrogel network.
• Hydrogels demonstrated good cytocompatibility and promoted osteogenic gene expression.

Conclusions:

• The succinylation-assisted cyclic mineralization strategy effectively controls EWP hydrogel structure and properties.
• This approach yields robust hydrogels with potential applications in regenerative medicine, particularly for bone tissue engineering.
• The study provides a novel route for tailoring natural protein-based biomaterials.