AIM: To develop a biomimetic polymeric injectable hydrogel that can support nucleus pulposus (NP) regeneration. MATERIALS & METHODS: Natural polymer-based hydrogels were synthesized using fibrinogen (FBG) and hyaluronic acid (HA), conjugated by a novel two-step procedure. Bovine NP cells were cultured in FBG-HA conjugate-based 3D beads in vitro and in a nucleotomized organ culture model. RESULTS: FBG-HA conjugate-based hydrogels prepared with 235 KDa HA at a FBG/HA w/w ratio of 17:1 showed superior gel stability and mechanical properties and markedly increased glycosaminoglycan synthesis compared with a FBG/HA mixture-based hydrogels or fibrin gels. Gene-expression levels of NP markers were maintained in vitro. In organ culture, NP cells seeded in FBG-HA conjugate-based hydrogels showed better integration with native NP tissue compared with fibrin gels. Moreover, FBG-HA conjugate-based hydrogels restored compressive stiffness and disc height after nucleotomy under dynamic load. CONCLUSION: Specific FBG-HA conjugate-based hydrogels may be suitable as injectable materials for minimally invasive, biological NP regeneration.
AIM: To develop a biomimetic polymeric injectable hydrogel that can support nucleus pulposus (NP) regeneration. MATERIALS & METHODS: Natural polymer-based hydrogels were synthesized using fibrinogen (FBG) and hyaluronic acid (HA), conjugated by a novel two-step procedure. Bovine NP cells were cultured in FBG-HA conjugate-based 3D beads in vitro and in a nucleotomized organ culture model. RESULTS: FBG-HA conjugate-based hydrogels prepared with 235 KDa HA at a FBG/HA w/w ratio of 17:1 showed superior gel stability and mechanical properties and markedly increased glycosaminoglycan synthesis compared with a FBG/HA mixture-based hydrogels or fibrin gels. Gene-expression levels of NP markers were maintained in vitro. In organ culture, NP cells seeded in FBG-HA conjugate-based hydrogels showed better integration with native NP tissue compared with fibrin gels. Moreover, FBG-HA conjugate-based hydrogels restored compressive stiffness and disc height after nucleotomy under dynamic load. CONCLUSION: Specific FBG-HA conjugate-based hydrogels may be suitable as injectable materials for minimally invasive, biological NP regeneration.
Authors: Benjamin Gantenbein; Svenja Illien-Jünger; Samantha C W Chan; Jochen Walser; Lisbet Haglund; Stephen J Ferguson; James C Iatridis; Sibylle Grad Journal: Curr Stem Cell Res Ther Date: 2015 Impact factor: 3.828
Authors: Maria L Vainieri; Mauro Alini; Avner Yayon; Gerjo J V M van Osch; Sibylle Grad Journal: Polymers (Basel) Date: 2020-08-06 Impact factor: 4.967
Authors: Mirte Peeters; Suzanne E L Detiger; Lindsay S Karfeld-Sulzer; Theo H Smit; Avner Yayon; Franz E Weber; Marco N Helder Journal: Biores Open Access Date: 2015-10-01