Photo-responsive supramolecular hyaluronic acid hydrogels for accelerated wound healing

Weiyi Zhao; Yang Li; Xiang Zhang; Rui Zhang; Yang Hu; Cyrille Boyer; Fu-Jian Xu

doi:10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.04.014

Photo-responsive supramolecular hyaluronic acid hydrogels for accelerated wound healing

J Control Release. 2020 Jul 10:323:24-35. doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.04.014. Epub 2020 Apr 10.

Authors

Weiyi Zhao¹, Yang Li², Xiang Zhang¹, Rui Zhang¹, Yang Hu¹, Cyrille Boyer³, Fu-Jian Xu⁴

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Key Lab of Biomedical Materials of Natural Macromolecules, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Ministry of Education, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Key Lab of Biomedical Materials of Natural Macromolecules, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Ministry of Education, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China. Electronic address: ly@mail.buct.edu.cn.
³ Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia; Centre for Advanced Macromolecular Design (CAMD), School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Key Lab of Biomedical Materials of Natural Macromolecules, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Ministry of Education, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China. Electronic address: xufj@mail.buct.edu.cn.

PMID: 32283209
DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.04.014

Abstract

Supramolecular hydrogels confer control over structural properties in a reversible, dynamic, and biomimetic fashion. The design of supramolecular hydrogels with an improved structural and functional recapitulation of damaged organs is important for clinical applications. For wound healing management, in particular, an effective healing process, through the modulation of epidermal growth factor (EGF) delivery using supramolecular polysaccharide hydrogels, has yet to be developed. In this study, photo-responsive supramolecular polysaccharide hydrogels were formed through host-guest interactions between azobenzene and β-cyclodextrin groups conjugated to hyaluronic acid chains. By exploiting the photoisomerization properties of azobenzene under different wavelengths, a supramolecular hydrogel featuring a dynamic spatial network crosslink density through the application of a light stimulus was obtained. Under ultra violet (UV) light, the loosened hydrogel can rapidly release EGF, thereby enhancing EGF delivery at the wound site. Based on an in vivo assessment of the healing process through a full-thickness skin defect model, the controlled EGF release from a supramolecular hydrogel exhibited superior wound healing efficiency with respect to granulation tissue formation, growth factor levels, and angiogenesis. Therefore, the proposed supramolecular hydrogels are potentially valuable as controlled delivery systems for future clinical wound healing applications.

Keywords: Controlled delivery; Hydrogel; Photo-responsive; Supramolecular chemistry; Wound healing.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biomimetics
Hyaluronic Acid*
Hydrogels*
Skin
Wound Healing

Substances

Hydrogels
Hyaluronic Acid