Thermoresponsive, redox-polymerized cellulosic hydrogels undergo in situ gelation and restore intervertebral disc biomechanics post discectomy

European Cells & Materials
D M VarmaSteven B Nicoll

Abstract

Back and neck pain are commonly associated with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. Structural augmentation of diseased nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue with biomaterials could restore degeneration-related IVD height loss and degraded biomechanical behaviors; however, effective NP replacement biomaterials are not commercially available. This study developed a novel, crosslinked, dual-polymer network (DPN) hydrogel comprised of methacrylated carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and methylcellulose (MC), and used in vitro, in situ and in vivo testing to assess its efficacy as an injectable, in situ gelling, biocompatible material that matches native NP properties and restores IVD biomechanical behaviors. Thermogelling MC was required to enable consistent and timely gelation of CMC in situ within whole IVDs. The CMC-MC hydrogel was tuned to match compressive and swelling NP tissue properties. When injected into whole IVDs after discectomy injury, CMC-MC restored IVD height and compressive biomechanical behaviors, including range of motion and neutral zone stiffness, to intact levels. Subcutaneous implantation of the hydrogels in rats further demonstrated good biocompatibility of CMC-MC with a relatively thin fibrous capsule, similar to co...Continue Reading

Citations

May 23, 2020·Bioengineering & Translational Medicine·Abhirup MandalSamir Mitragotri
Dec 12, 2020·Molecules : a Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry·Adam Chyzy, Marta E Plonska-Brzezinska
Aug 9, 2021·Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials·A R DixonR K Wilcox
Jan 12, 2022·ACS Applied Bio Materials·Amparo Vanaclocha-SaizLeyre Vanaclocha

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