Enzyme‐ and UV‐Mediated Double‐Network Hybrid Hydrogels for 3D Cell Culture application

• Published in: Macromolecular bioscience Vol. 21; no. 11; pp. e2100189 - n/a
• Main Authors: Li, Xiao‐Pei, Zou, Lin, Abodunrin, Oluwatosin David, Wang, Xiao‐Wei, Huang, Ning‐Ping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-11-2021
• Subjects: 3D culture; Biodegradation; Bioprinting; Cell culture; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell spreading; Cell viability; Cytokines; enzymatical cross‐linking; Enzymes; Extracellular matrix; Gelatin; Humans; Hyaluronic acid; Hydrogels; injectable hydrogel; Mechanical properties; Peptides; Physical properties; Repair; Sortase; sortase A; Stem cells; Three dimensional printing; Tissue engineering; Ultraviolet Rays; injectable hydrogel; 3D culture; sortase A; enzymatical cross-linking; hyaluronic acid
• ISSN: 1616-5187; 1616-5195
• DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202100189

Three‐dimensional (3D) cell culture using hydrogel scaffolds can closely resemble the natural extracellular matrix (ECM), which offers appropriate mechanical support for cells and regulates cellular behavior. In this study, a bacterial transpeptidase sortase A (SA) is used to prepare enzymatically cross‐linked methacrylated hyaluronic acid (HA) peptides (HAMA‐P) hydrogel, which reveals fast gel kinetics under high SA cross‐linking concentrations and can be used as an injection hydrogel for tissue repair or extrusive 3D bioprinting. Furthermore, methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) is introduced to build the hybrid hydrogel (HAMA‐P‐GelMA) with double cross‐linking of enzyme‐UV, which has shown proper physical properties (mechanical properties, swelling, degradation rate, etc.) of the hydrogel matrix, and displayed desirable effects on cell viability, adhesion, and cell spreading, when compared to GelMA or HAMA‐P single‐network hydrogels. The HAMA‐P‐GelMA hybrid hydrogels provide a favorable 3D milieu for cell growth and can be used as a 3D bio‐ink or a carrier of stem cells/cytokines for injectable tissue repair and filling.
The Sortase A enzyme cross‐linked methacrylated HA hydrogel (HAMA‐P) is prepared for the 3D culture of human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). It reveals rapid gel kinetics at high SA concentrations, which can be used for injectable scaffold matrix. The hybrid hydrogels by adding GelMA into HAMA‐P hydrogel with double cross‐linking of enzyme‐UV showed suitable physical features and improved cell proliferation, adhesion, and spreadability.