title: Development of crosslinked methylcellulose hydrogels for soft tissue augmentation using an ammonium persulfate-ascorbic acid redox system.
abstract: Hydrogels composed of methylcellulose are candidate materials for soft tissue reconstruction. Although photocrosslinked methylcellulose hydrogels have shown promise for such applications, gels crosslinked using reduction-oxidation (redox) initiators may be more clinically viable. In this study, methylcellulose modified with functional methacrylate groups was polymerized using an ammonium persulfate (APS)-ascorbic acid (AA) redox initiation system to produce injectable hydrogels with tunable properties. By varying macromer concentration from 2% to 4% (w/v), the equilibrium moduli of the hydrogels ranged from 1.47 ± 0.33 to 5.31 ± 0.71 kPa, on par with human adipose tissue. Gelation time was found to conform to the ISO standard for injectable materials. Cellulase treatment resulted in complete degradation of the hydrogels within 24h, providing a reversible corrective feature. Co-culture with human dermal fibroblasts confirmed the cytocompatibility of the gels based on DNA measurements and Live/Dead imaging. Taken together, this evidence indicates that APS-AA redox-polymerized methylcellulose hydrogels possess properties beneficial for use as soft tissue fillers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: Gittel T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: Devika M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Varma
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Taub
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, United States. Electronic address: snicoll@ccny.cuny.edu.
authors.forename: Steven B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Nicoll
mesh_terms: D000645:Ammonium Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004355:Drug Stability; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008747:Methylcellulose / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D058105:Polymerization; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020100:Hydrogels; C031276:ammonium peroxydisulfate; D008747:Methylcellulose; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D000645:Ammonium Sulfate
keywords: Gelation; Hydrogel; Injectable; Methylcellulose; Soft tissue filler