Mechanical Properties and Cell Compatibility of Agarose Hydrogels Containing Proteoglycan Mimetic Graft Copolymers

• Published in: Biomacromolecules Vol. 18; no. 7; pp. 2220 - 2229
• Main Authors: Pauly, Hannah M, Place, Laura W, Haut Donahue, Tammy L, Kipper, Matt J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 10.07.2017
• Subjects: additives; Adipose Tissue - cytology; Adipose Tissue - metabolism; agarose; biochemical pathways; biomechanics; Biomimetic Materials - chemical synthesis; Biomimetic Materials - chemistry; Biomimetic Materials - pharmacology; Cell Survival - drug effects; cell viability; chondroitin sulfate; composite polymers; dextran sulfate; growth factors; heparin; Humans; hyaluronic acid; hydrogels; Hydrogels - chemical synthesis; Hydrogels - chemistry; Hydrogels - pharmacology; Materials Testing; mechanical properties; proteinases; proteoglycans; Proteoglycans - chemistry; Proteoglycans - pharmacology; proteolysis; Sepharose - chemistry; Sepharose - pharmacology; Stem Cells - cytology; Stem Cells - metabolism; stress relaxation
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.7b00643
• ISSN: 1525-7797; 1526-4602

Proteoglycans have vital biochemical and biomechanical functions. Their proteolytic degradation results in loss of these functions. We have previously reported nonprotein proteoglycan-mimetic graft copolymers that stabilize and deliver growth factors and are not subject to proteases. Here we expand our investigation of these proteoglycan mimics by also investigating their effects on hydrogel mechanical properties. Four polysaccharide side chains, chondroitin sulfate, heparin, dextran, and dextran sulfate, are each grafted to a hyaluronan backbone. The polysaccharides and graft copolymers are added to agarose hydrogels. Cyclic compression and stress relaxation tests reveal how the addition of the polysaccharides and graft copolymers influence hydrogel modulus. Cells encapsulated in agarose hydrogels containing chondroitin sulfate and the chondroitin sulfate graft copolymer have decreased cell viability and metabolic activity compared to cells in unmodified agarose hydrogels. These multifunctional additives can be used to improve both the biochemistry and biomechanics of materials, warranting further optimization to overcome the potentially negative effects these may have on cell viability and activity.