Bioactive and degradable peg hydrogels: a multifunctional approach for tissue regeneration and antibacterial protection
Biomaterial-associated infections pose a significant challenge, impairing tissue integration and frequently leading to implant failure and revision surgeries. Upon implantation, host cells and bacteria compete for colonizing the implant, in a process known as the “race for the surface,” which is cri...
| Autores: | , , , |
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| Formato: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2025 |
| País: | España |
| Recursos: | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
| Repositorio: | UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/445908 |
| Acesso em linha: | https://hdl.handle.net/2117/445908 https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bioadv.2025.214553 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palavra-chave: | PEG hydrogels multifunctional hydrogel protease-degradable hydrogels cell adhesion antibacterial peptide RGD LF Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria biomèdica |
| Resumo: | Biomaterial-associated infections pose a significant challenge, impairing tissue integration and frequently leading to implant failure and revision surgeries. Upon implantation, host cells and bacteria compete for colonizing the implant, in a process known as the “race for the surface,” which is critical for the long-term survival of the implant. However, conventional biomaterials commonly fail to simultaneously promote cellular integration and prevent infections. To address this issue, we developed a protease-degradable PEG hydrogel functionalized with the RGD integrin-binding motif to enhance cell adhesion and the antimicrobial peptide hLf1–11 (LF) to provide antibacterial activity. This hydrogel was crosslinked using a protease-sensitive peptide (VPM), enabling enzymatic degradation, and dynamic adaptation to the cellular microenvironment (PEG-RGDLF). Non-bioactive but degradable (PEG-50) and neither bioactive nor degradable (PEG-0) hydrogels were included as controls. PEG-RGDLF hydrogels showed an adequate internal structure, with well-defined porosity, swelling capacity, and protease-mediated degradation rate. PEG-RGDLF improved the adhesion, spreading, proliferation, and ALP activity of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) and reduced the viability and adhesion of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, significantly affecting their morphology. Furthermore, co-culture models were established under two clinically relevant scenarios: “pre-infection” and “post-infection”. In both settings, PEG-RGDLF hydrogels supported enhanced cellular responses, with hBMSCs displaying an elongated morphology and improved adhesion. In summary, by integrating cell-instructive and antibacterial properties with a controlled degradation mechanism, this multifunctional hydrogel presents a robust platform for implant-based therapies, actively promoting tissue regeneration while preventing infection, thus addressing the persistent challenge of implant-associated infections in regenerative medicine and clinical applications. |
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