Autoclavable Albumin-Based Cryogels with Uncompromising Properties

Kairui Duan; Nabila Mehwish; Mengdie Xu; Hu Zhu; Jiajun Hu; Mian Lin; Lu Yu; Bae Hoon Lee

doi:10.3390/gels9090712

Autoclavable Albumin-Based Cryogels with Uncompromising Properties

Gels. 2023 Sep 1;9(9):712. doi: 10.3390/gels9090712.

Authors

Kairui Duan^{1

2}, Nabila Mehwish², Mengdie Xu², Hu Zhu², Jiajun Hu², Mian Lin², Lu Yu³, Bae Hoon Lee^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Postgraduate Training Base Alliance, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325011, China.
² Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou 325011, China.
³ Department of Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.

Abstract

The development of autoclavable hydrogels has been driven by the need for materials that can withstand the rigors of sterilization without compromising their properties or functionality. Many conventional hydrogels cannot withstand autoclave treatment owing to the breakdown of their composition or structure under the high-temperature and high-pressure environment of autoclaving. Here, the effect of autoclaving on the physical, mechanical, and biological properties of bovine serum albumin methacryloyl (BSAMA) cryogels at three protein concentrations (3, 5, and 10%) was extensively studied. We found that BSAMA cryogels at three concentrations remained little changed after autoclaving in terms of gross shape, pore structure, and protein secondary structure. Young's modulus of autoclaved BSAMA cryogels (BSAMA^A) at low concentrations (3 and 5%) was similar to that of BSAMA cryogels, whereas 10% BSAMA^A exhibited a higher Young's modulus value, compared with 10% BSAMA. Interestingly, BSAMA^A cryogels prolonged degradation. Importantly, cell viability, drug release, and hemolytic behaviors were found to be similar among the pre- and post-autoclaved cryogels. Above all, autoclaving proved to be more effective in sterilizing BSAMA cryogels from bacteria contamination than UV and ethanol treatments. Thus, autoclavable BSAMA cryogels with uncompromising properties would be useful for biomedical applications.

Keywords: BSAMA; autoclavable; cryogel; hydrogel; sterilization.

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 32171316), and the Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. WIUCASQD2019003).