title: A thermoreversible hydrogel as a biosynthetic bandage for corneal wound repair.
abstract: Ocular trauma and disorders that lead to corneal blindness account for over 2 million new cases of monocular blindness every year. A popular ocular surface reconstruction therapy, amniotic membrane transplantation, has been shown to aid corneal wound repair. However, the success rates of the procedure are variable. Here, we proposed to bioengineer a novel synthetic material that would serve as a biomimetic corneal bandage. The PLGA-PEG-PLGA triblock copolymer was synthesised via ring-opening polymerisation. Thermoreversible gelation behaviour was investigated at different polymer concentrations (23%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, w/v) at temperatures ranging between 5 and 60 degrees C. Viscoelastic properties were studied in dynamic mechanical analysis with 1 degrees C/min temperature ramp. Cryo-SEM revealed a porous hydrogel with interconnecting networks. No adverse cytotoxicity was observed with an in vitro scratch-wound assay and in in vivo biocompatibility tests. We have demonstrated that the PLGA-PEG-PLGA hydrogel possessed a suitable gelling profile and, for the first time, the biocompatibility properties for this application as a potential bandage for corneal wound repair.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Wolfson Centre for Stem Cells, Tissue Engineering and Modelling (STEM), Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
authors.forename: Chayanin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pratoomsoot
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanioka
authors.forename: Kuniko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Tighe
authors.forename: Harminder
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dua
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Shakesheff
authors.forename: Felicity Rosamari A J
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Rose
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D012996:Solutions; D013696:Temperature; D014783:Viscosity; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D012996:Solutions; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols