PHEMA Hydrogels Research Articles

Sustained release of proteins from contact lenses with porous annulus.

Ophthalmic drugs are administered to the front of the eye by eyedrops. The bioavailability of drugs delivered via eye drops is low due to tear turnover. Contact lenses can address some deficiencies of eye drops by sustaining the delivery of drugs, but commercial contact lenses have small pore sizes that cannot load biologics, which are becoming more common for treating ophthalmic diseases. This study aims to investigate novel poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) lenses with transparent center and porous annulus for sustained release of model proteins. A novel hydrogel polymerization process was used to fabricate concentric, porous layer pHEMA hydrogel rods. The hydrogels were lathe cut into contact lenses which were explored for the delivery of proteins and gold nanoparticles. Lenses were characterized by partition coefficient and diffusivity, which was estimated by fitting experimental data to an analytical model. Transmittance measurements were made to compare transparency of porous lens centers to commercial contact lenses. Porous pHEMA lenses consisting of a concentric, porous layer made from 55% water content in precursor were successfully lathe cut into lenses with transparent center and opaque porous annulus. The porous lenses could load large model proteins of bovine serum albumin and human γ-globulin and provide sustained release. The core annular pHEMA contact lenses consisting of an outer annulus of opaque, porous pHEMA and an inner, center layer of clear, nonporous pHEMA can provide sustained delivery of biologics.

Eco-friendly, highly interpenetrated and slightly swollen pHEMA hydrogel foam for durable underwater superoleophobicity and emulsion separation

Despite the emergence of hydrogels as ideal candidates for preparing the superhydrophilic materials for emulsion separation, their structural stability and swelling still hinder their long-term use, mainly due to structure defects after swelling. Herein, differing from the common modification, the eco-friendly poly 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (pHEMA) hydrogel foam was designed and synthesized via a one-step strategy by using the high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) template method, which endowed it with a highly interpenetrated porous structure. Unlike the normal swellable hydrogels such as poly(N-isoproplyacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel, or modified hydrogel coatings, the pHEMA hydrogel foam displayed stable structure and underwater superoleophobicity after 20 d of immersion in water. The pHEMA hydrogel foam could separate different kinds of highly surfactant-stabilized oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions with a high separation efficiency of 99.3% for liquid paraffin emulsion obtained solely under gravity-driven. Additionally, it exhibited excellent antifouling performance and long-term acid/alkali tolerance over 100 h without decrease in emulsion separation efficiency (98.0%, oil/water ratio of 99:1) and permeation flux (over 2000 L·m−2·h−1) attributed to its stable bulky structure. Moreover, the pHEMA hydrogel foam demonstrated high cell viability of 96.87% and 95.96% after culturing the 3T3 clone A31 cells in the pHEMA hydrogel foam for 24 h and 48 h, respectively, indicating good biocompatibility. Hence, our work provides a new design to develop an eco-friendly bulk hydrogel foam that achieves stable structure and performance for emulsion separation.

Poly(2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate) Hydrogel-Based Microneedles for Bioactive Release.

Microneedle arrays are minimally invasive devices that have been extensively investigated for the transdermal/intradermal delivery of drugs/bioactives. Here, we demonstrate the release of bioactive molecules (estradiol, melatonin and meropenem) from poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), pHEMA, hydrogel-based microneedle patches in vitro. The pHEMA hydrogel microneedles had mechanical properties that were sufficiently robust to penetrate soft tissues (exemplified here by phantom tissues). The bioactive release from the pHEMA hydrogel-based microneedles was fitted to various models (e.g., zero order, first order, second order). Such pHEMA microneedles have potential application in the transdermal delivery of bioactives (exemplified here by estradiol, melatonin and meropenem) for the treatment of various conditions.

A new approach of aspheric intralamellar keratoprostheses optic design made with poly(2-hydroxy ethylmethacrylate) hydrogel

Keratoprosthesis (KPro) is a surgical procedure largely confined to end-stage corneal blindness correction, where artificial cornea substitutes the native tissue. Though the problem of bio integration was addressed partially by strategic utilization of synthetic polymers and native tissue, major challenges like optical performance and design-associated post-operative complications of KPro were overlooked. Herein, a novel intralamellar KPro design is conceptualized to address these challenges using a light-transparent poly(2-hydroxy ethylmethacrylate) (pHEMA) hydrogel with good shape memory. pHEMA-based optics’ theoretically modelled refractive surfaces for both phakic and aphakic conditions were investigated against the standard Navarro model and optimized to new aspheric geometries having high optical functionality utilizing the Zemax OpticStudio software. The optical clear aperture size standardized achieved a 15% improvement in the illumination field. The introduction of asphericity on the two refractive surfaces of the optic on both models resulted in substantial improvements in the spot spread confinement on the retina, spatial resolution, and Seidel aberration. The design simulation study shows that the developed materials’ optical characteristics coupled with newly optimized refractive surface geometries can indeed deliver very high visual performance. Furthermore, the procedure can be adapted to analyze and optimize the optical performance of a KPro, intraocular lens, or contact lens.

Semi‐Interpenetrated Polymer Networks Based on PHEMA and Modified Chitosan as a Potential Bactericide Hydrogel for Wound‐Healing

AbstractA series of crosslinked hydrogel are developed to evaluate their applicability as efficient carriers for sustained release of ciprofloxacin (CFX) with bactericidal activity. The hydrogels are prepared from 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and carboxymethyl‐chitosan (CMCS) using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as crosslinker to yield a semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks (semi‐IPNs) by a photoinitiated chemical method. Molecular weight and concentration of CMCS in the network are varied to optimize its properties as a wound dressing. PHEMA‐CMCS semi‐IPNs (HC‐IPNs) are characterized by their swelling ratio (Q), glass transition temperature (Tg), Young's moduli by mechanical compression submerged in water at different pHs at 37 °C, CFX delivery mimicking skin conditions, cell viability, biodegradability study and by their antibacterial activity. Results show that addition of CMCS results in pH sensitive behavior. HC‐IPNs show thermal reinforcement, and they are softer materials as compared to plain PHEMA hydrogels when submerged in water. The in vitro release of CFX suggests that the HC‐IPNs release the drug continuously up to 50 h. Unloaded HC‐IPNs show inhibition effects against Escherichia coli strain and show bacteriostatic effects against Staphylococcus aureus strain. Results suggest that HC‐IPNs probably be a potential candidate that can be applied as wound dressing for topical CFX controlled delivery.

DMD-based optical printing of PHEMA hydrogel gratings for sensitive and rapid alcohol sensing

This work presents a straightforward, controllable, cost-effective optical approach for printing HEMA-based alcohol sensors, where the sensors' diffraction efficiency varies in response to hydrogel behavior at different alcohol concentrations.

A surface grafting strategy for antifouling/bioadhesive properties on a Janus-type polymeric thin film

There have been great technical challenges in preparation of a transparent polymeric thin film with Janus-type antifouling and bioadhesive properties on both surfaces, while maintaining the optical and mechanical characteristics of the bulk material. Herein, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA), which is commonly used as an ophthalmic hydrogel, was employed as the bulk material for allowing consecutive surface grafting of functional polymer brushes, which eventually resulted in a Janus-type transparent thin film for potential biomedical implantation. First, a bromine-containing reagent served as the reactive initiator was silanized onto both surfaces of the PHEMA hydrogel thin film under a mild condition. Then, with the presence of selected physical shielding on one side using a scotch tape, polymer brushes with cell-adhesive Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide pendent groups were grafted from the other side of the PHEMA thin film, resulted in a highly improved cell attachment capability. Once the tape was removed and the RGD-modified surface was shielded, the zwitterionic polymer brushes comprising poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) segments were grafted on the surface, again through surface-initiated activators regenerated by electron transfer atom-transfer radical polymerization (SI-ARGET-ATRP). Hence, this side of the PHEMA film became super hydrophilic and exhibited antifouling properties on the surface. After the surface grafting modification, the whole PHEMA hydrogel maintained highly transparent and biocompatible for potential ophthalmic applications. This study provides a simple and rather universal strategy for fabricating Janus-type polymeric thin films with distinct biophysical/biochemical properties on both sides, which potentially applicable for the multifunctional requirements in biomedical applications.

Long-term in vivo degradation and biocompatibility of degradable pHEMA hydrogels containing graphene oxide

Developing biocompatible, non-fouling and biodegradable hydrogels for blood-contacting devices remains a demanding challenge. Such materials should promote natural healing, prevent clotting, and undergo controlled degradation. This study evaluates the biocompatibility and biodegradation of degradable poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (d-pHEMA) hydrogels with or without reinforcement with oxidized few-layer graphene (d-pHEMA/M5ox) in a long term implantation in rats, assessing non-desired side-effects (irritation, chronic toxicity, immune response).Subcutaneous implantation over 6 months revealed degradation of both hydrogels, despite slower for d-pHEMA/M5ox, with degradation products found in intracellular vesicles. No inflammation nor infection at implantation areas were observed, and no histopathological findings were detected in parenchymal organs. Immunohistochemistry confirmed d-pHEMA and d-pHEMA/M5ox highly anti-adhesiveness. Gene expression of macrophages markers revealed presence of both M1 and M2 macrophages at all timepoints. M1/M2 profile after 6 months reveals an anti-inflammatory environment, suggesting no chronic inflammation, as also demonstrated by cytokines (IL-α, TNF-α and IL-10) analysis.Overall, modification of pHEMA towards a degradable material was successfully achieved without evoking a loss of its inherent properties, specially its anti-adhesiveness and biocompatibility. Therefore, these hydrogels hold potential as blank-slate for further modifications that promote cellular adhesion/proliferation for tissue engineering applications, namely for designing blood contacting devices with different load bearing requirements. Statement of significanceBiocompatibility, tunable biodegradation kinetics, and suitable immune response with lack of chronic toxicity and irritation, are key features in degradable blood contact devices that demand long-term exposure. We herein evaluate the 6-month in vivo performance of a degradable and hemocompatible anti-adhesive hydrogel based in pHEMA, and its mechanically reinforced formulation with few-layer graphene oxide. This subcutaneous implantation in a rat model, shows gradual degradation with progressive changes in material morphology, and no evidence of local inflammation in surrounding tissue, neither signs of inflammation or adverse reactions in systemic organs, suggesting biocompatibility of degradation products.Such hydrogels exhibit great potential as a blank slate for tissue engineering applications, including for blood contact, where cues for specific cells can be incorporated.

Superhydrophilic Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) Hydrogel with Nanosilica Covalent Coating: A Promising Contact Lens Material for Resisting Tear Protein Deposition and Bacterial Adhesion.

Tear protein deposition and bacterial adhesion are the main drawbacks of the hydrogel contact lens. In this study, we developed a novel superhydrophilic poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (NSCC-pHEMA) hydrogel with nanosilica covalent coating by the combination of colloidal silica immersion and dehydration treatment. The infrared spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses confirmed the successful formation of Si-O covalent bonding between nanosilica and pHEMA hydrogel. This coating was highly stable against powerful sonication or long-term shaking immersion treatment. Among various NSCC-pHEMA hydrogels with different colloidal silica concentrations, the 7%NSCC-pHEMA hydrogel generated a superhydrophilic micro wrinkle surface with a root-mean-square roughness of 43.10 nm, which dramatically reduced the deposition of lysozyme and bovine serum albumin by 65% and 57%, respectively, and decreased the adhesion of S. aureus and E. coli by 59% and 66%, respectively, in comparison to the pHEMA hydrogel. However, the nanosilica coating had little effect on the mechanical properties, light transmittance, oxygen permeability, and equilibrium water content of the pHEMA hydrogel. NSCC-pHEMA hydrogels were nontoxic to both mouse fibroblasts (L929) and human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT). Thus, the superhydrophilic NSCC-pHEMA hydrogel is a potential contact lens material for resisting tear protein deposition and bacterial adhesion.

Poly(2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate) Hydrogel-Based Microneedles for Metformin Release.

The release of metformin, a drug used in the treatment of cancer and diabetes, from poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), pHEMA, hydrogel-based microneedle patches is demonstrated in vitro. Tuning the composition of the pHEMA hydrogels enables preparation of robust microneedle patches with mechanical properties such that they would penetrate skin (insertion force of a single microneedle to be ≈40 N). Swelling experiments conducted at 20, 35, and 60°C show temperature-dependent degrees of swelling and diffusion kinetics. Drug release from the pHEMA hydrogel-based microneedles is fitted to various models (e.g., zero order, first order, second order). Such pHEMA microneedles have potential application for transdermal delivery of metformin for the treatment of aging, cancer, diabetes, etc.

Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogels containing graphene-based materials for blood-contact applications: from soft inert to strong degradable material.

Degradable biomaterials for blood-contacting devices (BCDs) are associated with weak mechanical properties, high molecular weight of the degradation products and poor hemocompatibility. Herein, the inert and biocompatible FDA approved poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) hydrogel was turned into a degradable material by incorporation of different amounts of a hydrolytically labile crosslinking agent, pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate). In situ addition of 1wt.% of oxidized graphene-based materials (GBMs) with different lateral sizes/thicknesses (single-layer graphene oxide, and oxidized forms of few-layer graphene materials) was performed to enhance the mechanical properties of hydrogels. An ultimate tensile strength increases up to 0.2 MPa (293% higher than degradable pHEMA) was obtained using oxidized few-layer graphene with 5 μm lateral size. Moreover, the incorporation of GBMs has demonstrated to simultaneously tune the degradation time, which ranged from 2 to 4 months. Notably, these features were achieved keeping not only the intrinsic properties of inert pHEMA regarding water uptake, wettability and cytocompatibility (short and long term), but also the non-fouling behavior towards human cells, platelets and bacteria. This new pHEMA hydrogel with degradation and biomechanical performance tuned by GBMs, can therefore be envisioned for different applications in tissue engineering, particularly for BCDs where non-fouling character is essential. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Suitable mechanical properties, low molecular weight of the degradation products and hemocompatibility are key features in degradable blood contacting devices (BCDs), and pave the way for significant improvement in the field. In here, a hydrogel with outstanding anti-adhesiveness (pHEMA) provides hemocompatibility, the presence of a degradable crosslinker provides degradability, and incorporation of graphene oxide reestablishes its strength, allowing tuning of both degradation and mechanical properties. Notably, these hydrogels simultaneously provide suitable water uptake, wettability, cytocompatibility (short and long term), no acute inflammatory response, and non-fouling behavior towards endothelial cells, platelets and bacteria. Such results highlight the potential of these hydrogels to be envisioned for applications in tissue engineered BCDs, namely as small diameter vascular grafts.

A Novel Antimicrobial Hydrogel for the Management of Periodontal Diseases

ObjectivesThis study aimed to synthesise a drug-delivery system based on a porous polymer hydrogel, with antimicrobial properties against Porphyromonas gingivalis and potential to be used in tissue regeneration. Material and methods2-Hydroxyethyl methacrylate monomers were polymerised using thermal and photoactivation in the presence of silver nitrate (AgNO3) and/or chlorhexidine digluconate. Poly-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (pHEMA) hydrogels containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and/or 0.12% chlorhexidine (CHX) were produced and characterised using cryo-SEM and confocal microscopy. Hydrogel degradation and leaching of AgNP were tested for 1.5 months. The antimicrobial properties were tested against P. gingivalis using broth culture system and disk diffusion tests. ResultsOur methodology manufactured porous polymeric hydrogels doped with AgNPs and CHX. Hydrogels showed a successful delivery of CHX and sustainable release of AgNPs in a steady hydrogel degradation rate determined based on the weight loss of samples. Hydrogels with AgNPs or CHX had a significant antimicrobial effect against P. gingivalis, with CHX-hydrogels exhibiting a stronger effect than AgNP-hydrogels in the short-term assessment. AgNP-CHX hydrogels showed a compounded antimicrobial effect, whereas control hydrogels containing neither AgNPs nor CHX had no influence on bacterial growth (P < .05). ConclusionsThe dual-cured pHEMA hydrogel loaded with antimicrobial agents proved to be an efficient drug-delivery system against periodontopathogens, with the potential to be used as a scaffold for tissue regeneration.

Viability studies of hydrogel contact lens on a 3D printed platform as ocular drug delivery carrier for diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a microvascular disease that damages retinal layers. Avastin loaded PHEMA hydrogel lens as a topical implant is presented here for DR therapy. The lens is fabricated upon a novel, cost-effective and simple to design 3D printed platform. It has contours similar to a commercial contact lens for patient comfort and added characteristics of a drug delivery vehicle. The lens swelling properties are comparable to the commercial lens. The percentage of cumulative drug released between 0 and 1500 min is 60 %, and the release kinetics follows the Korsmeyer- Pappas (KP) release model with 40–60% anti-VEGF effects.

Facile preparation of PHEMA hydrogel induced via Tannic Acid-Ferric ions for wearable strain sensing

As an important component of flexible electronic devices, strain sensing hydrogels have attracted extensive attention in the field of wearable sensors. However, the hydrogel matrix has some problems such as weak mechanical strength, lack of adhesion and poor performance stability. Herein, an ionic conductive poly (hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) hydrogel with good toughness and adhesion strength was prepared which was initiated by dynamic REDOX reaction of phenolic hydroxyl group and metal ions. The resulting PHEMA/ tannic acid (TA)-Fe hydrogel exhibits high flexibility (2227% elongation at break) and excellent adhesion properties (238 kPa on pig skin) due to the presence of TA and Fe3+ ion. Rheological results demonstrated self-healing performance of the hydrogels, and cyclic compression experiments displayed the hydrogels exhibit very good fatigue resistance. Furthermore, the hydrogel showed well strain sensing ability under different stretch and compress conditions and could maintain the stability performance for at least 100 cycles within 100% strain. Therefore, the PHEMA/TA-Fe hydrogels prepared with a simple and convenient redox catalytic polymerization method possess great potential to be used in flexible electronic devices.

Toughened Hydrogels for 3D Printing of Soft Auxetic Structures.

Materials with negative Poisson's ratio have attracted considerable attention and offered high potential applications as biomedical devices due to their ability to expand in every direction when stretched. Although negative Poisson's ratio has been obtained in various base materials such as metals and polymers, there are very limited works on hydrogels due to their intrinsic brittleness. Herein, we report the use of methacrylated cellulose nanocrystals (CNCMAs) as a macro-cross-linking agent in poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) hydrogels for 3D printing of auxetic structures. Our developed CNCMA-pHEMA hydrogels exhibit significant improvements in mechanical properties, which is attributed to the coexistence of multiple chemical and physical interactions between the pHEMA and CNCMAs. Structures printed by using CNCMA-pHEMA hydrogels show auxetic behavior with greatly enhanced toughness and stretchability compared to the hydrogel with a traditional cross-linking agent. Such strong and tough auxetic hydrogels would contribute toward establishing advanced flexible implantable devices such as biodegradable oesophageal self-expandable stents.

Replica-mold nanopatterned PHEMA hydrogel surfaces for ophthalmic applications

Biomimicking native tissues and organs require the development of advanced hydrogels. The patterning of hydrogel surfaces may enhance the cellular functionality and therapeutic efficacy of implants. For example, nanopatterning of the intraocular lens (IOL) surface can suppress the upregulation of cytoskeleton proteins (actin and actinin) within the cells in contact with the IOL surface and, hence, prevent secondary cataracts causing blurry or opaque vision. Here we introduce a fast and efficient method for fabricating arrays consisting of millions of individual nanostructures on the hydrogel surface. In particular, we have prepared the randomly distributed nanopillars on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogel using replica molding and show that the number, shape, and arrangement of nanostructures are fully adjustable. Characterization by atomic force microscopy revealed that all nanopillars were of similar shape, narrow size distribution, and without significant defects. In imprint lithography, choosing the appropriate hydrogel composition is critical. As hydrogels with imprinted nanostructures mimic the natural cell environment, they can find applications in fundamental cell biology research, e.g., they can tune cell attachment and inhibit or promote cell clustering by a specific arrangement of protrusive nanostructures on the hydrogel surface.

Mechanically robust, biocompatible, and durable PHEMA-based hydrogels enabled by the synergic effect of strong intermolecular interaction and suppressed phase separation

Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) hydrogel is highly biocompatible and stable, but its actual application in soft-tissue replacement is limited by its poor mechanical properties. This study develops a facile strategy to construct PHEMA-based hydrogels with the highest strength and toughness ever reported. The strategy relies on introducing robust coordination interactions between the carboxylate groups of copolymerized maleic acid (MA) units and Fe 3+ to suppress the phase separation of PHEMA chains from aqueous solution, thereby inducing a homogeneous network. The homogeneous network can avoid stress concentrations, and dynamic coordination crosslinking can effectively dissipate energy and simultaneously maintain network elasticity. The synergistic effects of these two factors impart exceptionally high tensile strength (3.44 MPa), elastic modulus (14.22 MPa), and toughness (4.17 MJ/m 3 ) to the hydrogels, which are 22.7, 43.1, and 24.2 times higher than those of pure PHEMA hydrogels, respectively. Such mechanical properties are comparable to human nasal and auricular cartilage. The hydrogels manifest outstanding self-recovery properties and fatigue resistance, which are essential for long-term and sustainable use. In vitro cell and in vivo animal experiments show that this strategy does not sacrifice the excellent biocompatibility and stability of the PHEMA hydrogels. These PHEMA-based hydrogels, with excellent mechanical properties, fatigue resistance, and biocompatibility, are promising candidates for replacing diseased or damaged nasal and auricular cartilage. Mechanically robust, biocompatible, and durable PHEMA-based hydrogels with cartilage mimetic properties are prepared by designing a homogeneous network with strong ionic coordination interactions. The hydrogels possess excellent mechanical properties by modulating the MA content or FeCl 3 solution concentration, which is comparable to human nasal and auricular cartilage. Good fatigue resistance properties support the hydrogels for long-term and sustainable use. Combined with long-term biocompatibility and stability in vivo , the high-performance PHEMA-based hydrogels show great application prospects as a desirable candidate material for replacing diseased or damaged nasal and auricular cartilage. • Hydrogels are designed by a homogenous network with robust coordination interactions. • The homogeneous network is induced by suppressing phase separation. • The mechanical properties of hydrogels are significantly improved by such design. • Hydrogels also manifest good biocompatibility and stability. • Hydrogels are promising candidates in nasal and auricular cartilage replacement.

3D-Printed Electroactive Hydrogel Architectures with Sub-100µm Resolution Promote Myoblast Viability.

3D-printed hydrogel scaffolds functionalized with conductive polymers have demonstrated significant potential in regenerative applications for their structural tunability, physiochemical compatibility, and electroactivity. Controllably generating conductive hydrogels with fine features, however, has proven challenging. Here, micro-continuous liquid interface production (μCLIP) method is utilized to 3D print poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) hydrogels. With a unique in-situ polymerization approach, a sulfonated monomer is first incorporated into the hydrogel matrix and subsequently polymerized into a conjugated polyelectrolyte, poly(4-(2,3-dihydro-thieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-2-ylmethoxy)-butane-1 sulfonic acid sodium salt (PEDOT-S). Rod structures are fabricated at different crosslinking levels to investigate PEDOT-S incorporation and its effect on bulk hydrogel electronic and mechanical properties. After demonstrating that PEDOT-S does not significantly compromise the structures of the bulk material, pHEMA scaffolds are fabricated via μCLIP with features smaller than 100µm. Scaffold characterization confirms PEDOT-S incorporation bolstered conductivity while lowering overall modulus. Finally, C2C12 myoblasts are seeded on PEDOT-pHEMA structures to verify cytocompatibility and the potential of this material in future regenerative applications. PEDOT-pHEMA scaffolds promote increased cell viability relative to their non-conductive counterparts and differentially influence cell organization. Taken together, this study presents a promising new approach for fabricating complex conductive hydrogel structures for regenerative applications.

Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-quaternary ammonium salt chitosan) hydrogel: A potential contact lens material with tear protein deposition resistance and antimicrobial activity.

Tear protein deposition resistance and antimicrobial property are two challenges of conventional poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) contact lenses. In this work, we developed a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-quaternary ammonium salt chitosan) hydrogel, named as p(HEMA-co-mHACC) hydrogel, using acryloyl HACC (mHACC) as a macromolecular crosslinker. With increasing the acryloyl substitution degree (14-29%) or mHACC content (2-11%), the hydrogel showed an enhanced tensile strength (432-986kPa) and Young's modulus (360-1158kPa), a decreased elongation at break (242-84%), and an increased visible light transmittance (0-95%). At an optimal acryloyl substitution degree of 26%, with the increase of mHACC content from 2% to 11%, p(HEMA-co-mHACC) hydrogel presented a decreased water contact angle from 84.6 to 55.3 degree, an increased equilibrium water content from 38% to 45%, and an enhanced oxygen permeability from 8.5 to 13.5 barrer. Due to the enhancement in surface hydrophilicity and electropositivity, p(HEMA-co-mHACC) hydrogel remarkably reduced the deposition of lysozyme, but little affected the adsorption of BSA, depending on the hydrophilic/hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. The antimicrobial test against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli showed that p(HEMA-co-mHACC) hydrogel presented an 8-32 times higher germicidal ability than pHEMA hydrogel, indicative of a better antimicrobial activity. The in vitro cell culture of mouse NIH3T3 fibroblasts and immortalized human keratinocytes showed that p(HEMA-co-mHACC) hydrogel was non-toxic. Thus, p(HEMA-co-mHACC) hydrogel with tear protein deposition resistance and antimicrobial activity is a potential candidate for contact lenses.

Testing of the pHEMA hydrogel as an implantation material for replacement of osteochondral defects in animals

Objective: to evaluate the features of reparative chondrogenesis and osteogenesis in animal experiments with the implantation of porous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) hydrogel into osteochondral defects. Materials and methods. Cylindrical pHEMA implants (5 mm in diameter) were synthesized by radical polymerization. The implants were subjected to light microscopy and mechanical tests to characterize the structure and viscoelastic properties of the material. In experimental group #1, four pHEMA specimens were implanted into formed defects in the distal femoral epiphysis of rabbits. In experimental group #2, allogeneic chondrocytes were applied to the surface of four specimens before implantation. In the control series, four defects were not replaced with implants. Tissue regeneration was investigated by morphological and morphometric methods 30 days after operation. Results. The pHEMA implants were heterogeneous specimens with irregularly shaped pores – up to 30 × 10 μm at the surface and 300 × 120 μm inside. With &gt;10% static compressive stress, the Young’s modulus was 54.7 kPa. For dynamic stress, increased frequency of compression-relaxation cycles from 0.01 Hz to 20.0 Hz led to increased storage modulus from 20 kPa to 38 kPa on average, and increased loss modulus from 2 kPa to 10 kPa. Indicators of semi-quantitative assessment of local inflammatory response to pHEMA implantation had the following values in points: pHEMA, 4.7 ± 0.3; pHEMA with allogeneic chondrocytes, 6.0 ± 1.0; control, 4.3 ± 0.3. The ratio of connective, bone, and cartilage tissues proper in the regenerates had the following respective values: pHEMA, 79%, 20%, 1%; pHEMA with chondrocytes, 82%, 16%, 2%; control, 9%, 74%, 17%. Conclusion. In a short-term experiment, pHEMA implants did not trigger a pronounced inflammatory response in the surrounding tissues and can be classified as biocompatible materials. However, the tested implants had low conductivity with respect to bone and cartilage cells, which can be improved by stabilizing the pore size and increasing the rigidity when synthesizing the material.