Tough, Injectable Calcium Phosphate Cement Based Composite Hydrogels to Promote Osteogenesis

Abstract

Osteoporosis is one of the most disabling consequences of aging, and osteoporotic fractures and a higher risk of subsequent fractures lead to substantial disability and deaths, indicating that both local fracture healing and early anti-osteoporosis therapy are of great significance. However, combining simple clinically approved materials to achieve good injection and subsequent molding and provide good mechanical support remains a challenge. To meet this challenge, bioinspired by natural bone components, we develop appropriate interactions between inorganic biological scaffolds and organic osteogenic molecules, achieving a tough hydrogel that is both firmly loaded with calcium phosphate cement (CPC) and injectable. Here, the inorganic component CPC composed of biomimetic bone composition and the organic precursor, incorporating gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and N-Hydroxyethyl acrylamide (HEAA), endow the system with fast polymerization and crosslinking through ultraviolet (UV) photo-initiation. The GelMA-poly (N-Hydroxyethyl acrylamide) (GelMA-PHEAA) chemical and physical network formed in situ enhances the mechanical performances and maintains the bioactive characteristics of CPC. This tough biomimetic hydrogel combined with bioactive CPC is a new promising candidate for a commercial clinical material to help patients to survive osteoporotic fracture.