Hydrolytically-degradable click-crosslinked alginate hydrogels.

Degradable biomaterials aim to recapitulate the dynamic microenvironment that cells are naturally exposed to. By oxidizing the alginate polymer backbone, thereby rendering it susceptible to hydrolysis, and crosslinking it via norbornene-tetrazine click chemistry, we can control rheological, mechanical, and degradation properties of resulting hydrogels. Chemical modifications were confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and the resulting mechanical properties measured by rheology and unconfined compression testing, demonstrating that these are both a function of norbornene coupling and oxidation state.

Controlled self-assembly of alginate microgels by rapidly binding molecule pairs.

Controlled self-assembly of cell-encapsulating microscale polymeric hydrogels (microgels) could be advantageous in a variety of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications. Here, a method of assembly by chemical modification of alginate polymer with binding pair molecules (BPM) was explored. Alginate was modified with several types of BPM, specifically biotin and streptavidin and click chemistry compounds, and fabricated into 25-30 μm microgels using a microfluidic platform.

Multicomponent Injectable Hydrogels for Antigen-Specific Tolerogenic Immune Modulation.

Biomaterial scaffolds that enrich and modulate immune cells in situ can form the basis for potent immunotherapies to elicit immunity or reëstablish tolerance. Here, the authors explore the potential of an injectable, porous hydrogel to induce a regulatory T cell (Treg) response by delivering a peptide antigen to dendritic cells in a noninflammatory context. Two methods are described for delivering the BDC peptide from pore-forming alginate gels in the nonobese diabetic mouse model of type 1 diabetes: encapsulation in poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) microparticles, or direct conjugation to the alginate polymer.

Click-Crosslinked Injectable Gelatin Hydrogels.

Injectable gelatin hydrogels formed with bioorthogonal click chemistry (ClickGel) are cell-responsive ECM mimics for in vitro and in vivo biomaterials applications. Gelatin polymers with pendant norbornene (GelN) or tetrazine (GelT) groups can quickly and spontaneously crosslink upon mixing, allowing for high viability of encapsulated cells, establishment of 3D elongated cell morphologies, and biodegradation when injected in vivo.

Matrix elasticity of void-forming hydrogels controls transplanted-stem-cell-mediated bone formation.

The effectiveness of stem cell therapies has been hampered by cell death and limited control over fate. These problems can be partially circumvented by using macroporous biomaterials that improve the survival of transplanted stem cells and provide molecular cues to direct cell phenotype. Stem cell behaviour can also be controlled in vitro by manipulating the elasticity of both porous and non-porous materials, yet translation to therapeutic processes in vivo remains elusive.

Versatile click alginate hydrogels crosslinked via tetrazine-norbornene chemistry.

Alginate hydrogels are well-characterized, biologically inert materials that are used in many biomedical applications for the delivery of drugs, proteins, and cells. Unfortunately, canonical covalently crosslinked alginate hydrogels are formed using chemical strategies that can be biologically harmful due to their lack of chemoselectivity. In this work we introduce tetrazine and norbornene groups to alginate polymer chains and subsequently form covalently crosslinked click alginate hydrogels capable of encapsulating cells without damaging them.

In vivo targeting through click chemistry.

Targeting small molecules to diseased tissues as therapy or diagnosis is a significant challenge in drug delivery. Drug-eluting devices implanted during invasive surgery allow the controlled presentation of drugs at the disease site, but cannot be modified once the surgery is complete. We demonstrate that bioorthogonal click chemistry can be used to target circulating small molecules to hydrogels resident intramuscularly in diseased tissues.