Design of a novel polysaccharide-based cryogel using triallyl cyanurate as crosslinker for cell adhesion and proliferation.

Salecan, a water-soluble extracellular β-glucan, is considered as an attractive alternative for hydrogel preparation due to its good physicochemical and biological properties. Herein, a novel cryogel was prepared by cryopolymerization of salecan and acryloyloxyethyltrimethyl ammonium chloride using triallyl cyanurate (TAC) as a crosslinker. FT-IR spectroscopy and XRD analysis confirmed the structure of cryogels. The addition of more hydrophilic salecan inside the cryogels significantly increased their water uptake. More importantly, the compressive and storage moduli were significantly improved by the introduction of TAC as crosslinker, probably due to the multiplication of potential crosslinking points when TAC was used in the polymerization process and subsequent the formation of a stiffer polymer network. In vitro cytotoxicity assay confirmed the non-cytotoxic nature of the cryogels. They were biocompatible and supported adhesion, proliferation and viability of L929 and 3 T3-L1 cells as shown by cell proliferation and Live/Dead assay. Altogether, this work opens a door to the design and development of mechanically strong salecan-based cryogel for cell adhesion and proliferation, and further soft tissue engineering application.