Liu Bingzhang, Jiang Yuhan, Tian Yufeng, Li Tian, Zhang Duo
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
ACS Omega. 2025 Mar 27;10(13):13570-13582. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.5c00476. eCollection 2025 Apr 8.
Tissue-engineered cartilage, supported by advancements in photo-cross-linkable hydrogels, offers a promising solution for the repair and regeneration of damaged cartilage in anatomically complex and mechanically demanding sites. Low-temperature soluble GelMA (LT-GelMA) remains in a liquid state at room temperature, allowing for easier handling; however, it has limitations in mechanical strength and structural stability. To address these limitations, we developed a novel dual-network hydrogel combining LT-GelMA with Pluronic F127-diacrylate (F127DA). The resulting hydrogel uniquely integrates the low-temperature solubility of LT-GelMA with the enhanced mechanical strength provided by photo-cross-linkable F127DA nanomicelles. Additionally, the hydrogel exhibits controlled swelling and biodegradation rates. In vitro studies revealed a significant increase in chondrocyte viability by day 7 in formulations with higher F127DA concentrations. In vivo, the hydrogel demonstrated superior neo-cartilage formation in a subcutaneous nude mouse model, as indicated by increased deposition of cartilage-specific extracellular matrix components at 4 and 8 weeks. In summary, we developed a hydrogel with fluidity at room temperature and enhanced mechanical performance. These results indicate that the LT-GelMA/F127DA hydrogel effectively addresses the current gaps in cartilage tissue engineering. The hydrogel's superior performance, especially in promoting cartilage regeneration, positions it as a promising alternative for reconstructive surgery, representing a significant improvement over existing cartilage repair strategies.
在可光交联水凝胶技术进步的支持下，组织工程软骨为解剖结构复杂且对机械性能要求较高部位的受损软骨修复和再生提供了一种很有前景的解决方案。低温可溶的甲基丙烯酸明胶（LT - GelMA）在室温下呈液态，便于操作；然而，它在机械强度和结构稳定性方面存在局限性。为了解决这些局限性，我们开发了一种新型双网络水凝胶，将LT - GelMA与聚氧乙烯聚氧丙烯共聚物 - 二丙烯酸酯（F127DA）相结合。所得水凝胶独特地将LT - GelMA的低温溶解性与可光交联的F127DA纳米胶束提供的增强机械强度整合在一起。此外，该水凝胶表现出可控的溶胀和生物降解速率。体外研究表明，在F127DA浓度较高的配方中，到第7天时软骨细胞活力显著增加。在体内，在皮下裸鼠模型中，该水凝胶显示出优异的新软骨形成，这在4周和8周时软骨特异性细胞外基质成分沉积增加中得到体现。总之，我们开发了一种在室温下具有流动性且机械性能增强的水凝胶。这些结果表明，LT - GelMA/F127DA水凝胶有效地解决了当前软骨组织工程中的差距。该水凝胶的优异性能，特别是在促进软骨再生方面，使其成为重建手术的一种有前景的替代方案，代表了对现有软骨修复策略的重大改进。
