title: Poly(amino carbonate urethane)-based biodegradable, temperature and pH-sensitive injectable hydrogels for sustained human growth hormone delivery.
abstract: In this study, a new pH-/temperature-sensitive, biocompatible, biodegradable, and injectable hydrogel based on poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(amino carbonate urethane) (PEG-PACU) copolymers has been developed for the sustained delivery of human growth hormone (hGH). In aqueous solutions, PEG-PACU-based copolymers existed as sols at low pH and temperature (pH 6.0, 23 °C), whereas they formed gels in the physiological condition (pH 7.4, 37 °C). The physicochemical characteristics, including gelation rate, mechanical strength and viscosity, of the PEG-PACU hydrogels could be finely tuned by varying the polymer weight, pH and temperature of the copolymer. An in vivo injectable study in the back of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats indicated that the copolymer could form an in situ gel, which exhibited a homogenous porous structure. In addition, an in vivo biodegradation study of the PEG-PACU hydrogels showed controlled degradation of the gel matrix without inflammation at the injection site and the surrounding tissue. The hGH-loaded PEG-PACU copolymer solution readily formed a hydrogel in SD rats, which subsequently inhibited the initial hGH burst and led to the sustained release of hGH. Overall, the PEG-PACU-based copolymers prepared in this study are expected to be useful biomaterials for the sustained delivery of hGH.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, Theranostic Macromolecules Research Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: V H Giang
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Phan
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, Theranostic Macromolecules Research Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Thavasyappan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thambi
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, Theranostic Macromolecules Research Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Huu Thuy Trang
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Duong
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, Theranostic Macromolecules Research Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Doo Sung
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004337:Drug Carriers; D065546:Drug Liberation; D004355:Drug Stability; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D044367:Phase Transition; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011140:Polyurethanes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004337:Drug Carriers; D020100:Hydrogels; D011140:Polyurethanes; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols