Abstract
A degradable and water-soluble polyphosphoester (PPE), namely poly(methyl ethylene phosphate)-dimethacrylate (PMEP-DMA), was synthesized and crosslinked by UV irradiation to prepare PPE-hydrogels. Hydrogels with 10 and 15 wt% of PMEP were prepared after UV-irradiation with an additional 0.2 wt% of photoinitiator. The colorless and transparent PPE hydrogels were studied for their swelling and water uptake. The rheological analysis demonstrated their viscoelastic behavior. The PPE hydrogels were compared to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels prepared from PEG-macromonomers of similar degrees of polymerization. Hydrolysis experiments proved a successful disintegration of the PPE hydrogels compared to PEG analogs; a faster weight loss for the hydrogels with 10 wt% of PMEP compared to the 15 wt% hydrogels was detected. NMR spectroscopy further proved the release of soluble PPEs from the network and the formation of phosphoric acid diesters during the hydrolysis. Finally, the cytotoxicity with the MG-63 osteoblast cell lines and proved low cell toxicity from the hydrogels with no significant cell adherence towards the gels similar to PEG-based hydrogels. In summary, this work proves PMEP-hydrogels as degradable alternatives to PEG-hydrogels with similar hydrophilicity and low cell adhesion, which might be used in further tissue engineering and to prevent polymer accumulation.
Highlights
Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels have proven great promises for biomedical applications as matrices for controlled release of therapeutics or as scaffolds for promoting tissue regeneration [1,2,3,4]
Hydrolysis experiments proved a successful disintegration of the PPE hydrogels compared to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) analogs; a faster weight loss for the hydrogels with 10 wt% of Poly(methyl ethylene phosphate) (PMEP) compared to the 15 wt% hydrogels was detected
PPE hydrogels might be a suitable alternative for PEGhydrogels, if additional biodegradation is required in biomedical applications or further tuning of hydrophilicity and functionality is needed
Summary
Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels have proven great promises for biomedical applications as matrices for controlled release of therapeutics or as scaffolds for promoting tissue regeneration [1,2,3,4]. The introduction of PLA to form degradable hydrogels has found many successful applications, this type of polymer composition can have drawbacks such as potential inflammation caused by acidic degradation products from lactic acid and poly(acrylic acid), protein denaturation [12,13,14] Another approach to degradable and hydrophilic PEG hydrogels utilized multiarm PEG-amine for the crosslinking of active-ester-containing PEG derivates [15]. Poly(methyl ethylene phosphate) (PMEP) with its high hydrophilicity was used as a PEG analog It was synthesized by the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of the five-membered 2-methoxy1,3,2-dioxaphospholane 2-oxide (MEP) heterocycle. PPE hydrogels might be a suitable alternative for PEGhydrogels, if additional biodegradation is required in biomedical applications or further tuning of hydrophilicity and functionality is needed
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