Self-healing polyurethane-elastomer with mechanical tunability for multiple biomedical applications in vivo

Chenyu Jiang,Renhao Yang,Zhengwei You,Qingbao Guan,Mingjian Liu,Qiang Long,Shixing Huang,Zenghe Liu,Qiang Zhao,Xiaofeng Ye,Qi Yang,Hongpeng Shi,Bei Qian,Luzhi Zhang

doi:10.1038/s41467-021-24680-x

Chenyu Jiang, Renhao Yang + Show 12 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24680-x

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Abstract

The unique properties of self-healing materials hold great potential in the field of biomedical engineering. Although previous studies have focused on the design and synthesis of self-healing materials, their application in in vivo settings remains limited. Here, we design a series of biodegradable and biocompatible self-healing elastomers (SHEs) with tunable mechanical properties, and apply them to various disease models in vivo, in order to test their reparative potential in multiple tissues and at physiological conditions. We validate the effectiveness of SHEs as promising therapies for aortic aneurysm, nerve coaptation and bone immobilization in three animal models. The data presented here support the translation potential of SHEs in diverse settings, and pave the way for the development of self-healing materials in clinical contexts.

Highlights

The unique properties of self-healing materials hold great potential in the field of biomedical engineering
From the immunofluorescence (IF) staining of collagens in the aortic wall, we found that the ratio of collagen I/III in the aneurysm group was decreased significantly
Self-healing materials have been explored for use in biomedical applications such as drug delivery, biosensors, and tissue engineering[30,31]

Summary

Introduction

The unique properties of self-healing materials hold great potential in the field of biomedical engineering. We design a series of biodegradable and biocompatible self-healing elastomers (SHEs) with tunable mechanical properties, and apply them to various disease models in vivo, in order to test their reparative potential in multiple tissues and at physiological conditions. We designed a new type of autonomously SHE composed of polyurethanes based on dynamic dimethylglyoxime–urethane groups These SHEs showed mechanical tunability, biocompatibility and biodegradability and demonstrated high efficiency in treating certain clinical conditions, such as aneurysms, peripheral nerve amputation and bone immobilisation, because of their excellent selfhealability under physiological conditions (Fig. 1). We will demonstrate the surgical process changes brought about by self-healing materials via using three surgery disease models including aneurysm, peripheral injury, and sternum immobilisation. We replace metal wires with a biodegradable SHEs to achieve sternum immobilisation and avoid the shortcomings mentioned above

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