The Impact of Covalently Conjugated Alginate-Heparin Methacrylate Hydrogels on Multi-Axial Strength and HUVEC Tubular Formation
Conference Year
January 2021
Abstract
Traumatic injury to organs, either the result of acute trauma or an underlying medical condition, can be fatal if not properly treated. Tissue sealants and wound dressings are often used while treating these organ injuries. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of heparin and arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid (RGD) conjugated alginate hydrogels encapsulated with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as a wound dressing. VEGF is an important component in angiogenesis that binds to heparin, and RGD promotes cell adhesion. It was hypothesized that an elastic and tough alginate-based hydrogel would be amendable to RGD and heparin conjugation to support cell proliferation and in vitro tubular network formation. Alginate hydrogels functionalized with methacrylic anhydride (MA), RGD, and heparin with and without VEGF were crosslinked with visible light. The material properties and burst pressure mechanics were evaluated to determine the structural integrity of the hydrogel wound dressings. Promotion of angiogenesis was evaluated by directly seeding human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) onto visible light-crosslinked alginate-based hydrogels. Crosslinked alginate-heparin maintained cell adhesion and promoted tubular formation. Furthermore, burst pressure results indicate the potential for the materials to adhere to tissue and respond elastically under high strains and pressures to promote wound healing.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Rachael Oldinski-Floreani
Faculty/Staff Collaborators
Patrick Charron (Lab Manager), Luis Garcia (UVM Alumni), Rachael Oldinski-Floreani (Advisor)
Status
Graduate
Student College
College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences
Program/Major
Mechanical Engineering
Primary Research Category
Engineering & Physical Sciences
The Impact of Covalently Conjugated Alginate-Heparin Methacrylate Hydrogels on Multi-Axial Strength and HUVEC Tubular Formation
Traumatic injury to organs, either the result of acute trauma or an underlying medical condition, can be fatal if not properly treated. Tissue sealants and wound dressings are often used while treating these organ injuries. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of heparin and arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid (RGD) conjugated alginate hydrogels encapsulated with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as a wound dressing. VEGF is an important component in angiogenesis that binds to heparin, and RGD promotes cell adhesion. It was hypothesized that an elastic and tough alginate-based hydrogel would be amendable to RGD and heparin conjugation to support cell proliferation and in vitro tubular network formation. Alginate hydrogels functionalized with methacrylic anhydride (MA), RGD, and heparin with and without VEGF were crosslinked with visible light. The material properties and burst pressure mechanics were evaluated to determine the structural integrity of the hydrogel wound dressings. Promotion of angiogenesis was evaluated by directly seeding human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) onto visible light-crosslinked alginate-based hydrogels. Crosslinked alginate-heparin maintained cell adhesion and promoted tubular formation. Furthermore, burst pressure results indicate the potential for the materials to adhere to tissue and respond elastically under high strains and pressures to promote wound healing.