title: Biological hydrogel synthesized from hyaluronic acid, gelatin and chondroitin sulfate by click chemistry.
abstract: In order to mimic the natural cartilage extracellular matrix, which is composed of core proteins and glycosaminoglycans, a biological hydrogel was synthesized from the biopolymers hyaluronic acid (HA), chondroitin sulfate (CS) and gelatin via click chemistry. HA and CS were modified with 11-azido-3,6,9-trioxaundecan-1-amine (AA) and gelatin was modified with propiolic acid (PA). The molecular structures were verified by (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis, giving substitution degrees of 29%, 89% and 44% for HA-AA, CS-AA and gelatin-PA (G-PA), respectively. The -N(3) groups of HA-AA and CS-AA were reacted with the acetylene groups of G-PA, catalyzed by Cu(I), to form triazole rings, thereby forming a cross-linked hydrogel. The gelation time was decreased monotonically with increasing Cu(I) concentration up to 0.95 mg ml(-1). The hydrogel obtained was in a highly swollen state and showed the characteristics of an elastomer. Incubation in phosphate-buffered saline for 4 weeks resulted in a weight loss of up to 45%. Moreover, about 20% gelatin and 10% CS were released from the hydrogel in 2 weeks. In vitro cell culture showed that the hydrogel could support the adhesion and proliferation of chondrocytes.
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Changyou
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000737:chemistry*; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D057930:Click Chemistry / Q000379:methods*; D055119:Elastic Modulus / Q000187:drug effects; D005780:Gelatin / Q000737:chemistry*; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D011817:Rabbits; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D005780:Gelatin; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates