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Rheological analysis of the interplay between the molecular weight and concentration of hyaluronic acid in formulations of supramolecular HA/FmocFF hybrid hydrogels

Polymer Journal volume 52, pages 1007–1012 (2020)Cite this article

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Self-assembled hydrogels of low-molecular-weight gelator (LMWG) peptides offer the benefits of a highly porous fibrous network with tunable biological properties, while the reversible noncovalent interactions among the molecular building blocks enable the application of such systems as injectable hydrogels in regenerative medicine. This physically cross-linked class of biomaterials permits minimally invasive implantation strategies as an alternative to conventional methods or facilitates the use of emerging techniques such as three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting. Moreover, the well-defined chemical structure of these peptides, in contrast to that of natural biopolymers, can be tuned to introduce desirable biofunctionality. This can be achieved by controlled alteration and insertion of amino acid sequences, each serving a designed purpose such as inducing antimicrobial effects or attachment, proliferation and differentiation of cells [1, 2].

Incorporation of LMWG peptides within a hybrid supramolecular polymer/peptide design extends the applicability of both systems, mostly by providing intended chemical functionalities within a more mechanically responsive network. To realize this idea, two main strategies—one based on covalent linking of peptides to polymers and the other based on noncovalent interactions between both components—have been employed [3]. Both approaches inherently possess limitations and advantages regarding the phase continuity, homogeneity, ease of synthesis, and need for chemical modifications of constitutive blocks. Nevertheless, both offer synergistically enhanced mechanical properties together with engineered biofunctionality. Moreover, the application of such hybrid systems in advanced 3D bioprinting methods could potentially introduce a new class of bioinks [4], providing diverse capabilities to tune rheology and form multifunctional hydrogels.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) with project number 326998133-TRR 225 (subprojects A02 and B04) and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) project SOP-Bioprint with contract number 13XP5071A. We would like to thank Dr Tomasz Jüngst for his suggestions related to the preparation of the manuscript and Mrs Katharina Oberst for her assistance in SEC-MALS characterizations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry (FMZ) and Bavarian Polymer Institute (BPI), University of Würzburg, Pleicherwall 2, 97070, Würzburg, Germany

    Ali Nadernezhad, Leonard Forster, Jörg Teßmar & Jürgen Groll

  2. Department of Oral Biology, The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel

    Francesca Netti & Lihi Adler-Abramovich

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  1. Ali Nadernezhad
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Nadernezhad, A., Forster, L., Netti, F. et al. Rheological analysis of the interplay between the molecular weight and concentration of hyaluronic acid in formulations of supramolecular HA/FmocFF hybrid hydrogels. Polym J 52, 1007–1012 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-020-0358-1

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