Malleable hydrogel hybrids made of self-assembled peptides and biocompatible polymers and uses thereof

摘要

Hybrid hydrogels formed of a plurality of peptides that are capable of self-assembling into a hydrogel in an aqueous solution and a biocompatible polymer that is characterized by high swelling capability, high elasticity and low mechanical strength are disclosed, with exemplary hybrid hydrogels being formed of a plurality of aromatic dipeptides and hyaluronic acid. The hybrid hydrogels are characterized by controllable mechanical and biological properties which can be adjusted by controlling the concentration ratio of the peptides and the polymer, and which average the mechanical and biological properties of the peptides and the polymer. Processes of preparing the hydrogels and uses thereof in pharmaceutical, cosmetic or cosmeceutic applications such as tissue engineering and/or regeneration are further disclosed.

主权项

1. A hydrogel comprising a fibrous network of a plurality of peptides and at least one biocompatible polymer, wherein a weight ratio of said plurality of peptides and said polymer ranges from 10:1 to 1:10, wherein each of said peptides is independently a dipeptide in which at least one amino acid residue is an aromatic amino acid residue, said dipeptides being capable of self-assembling in an aqueous solution so as to form a hydrogel, wherein said biocompatible polymer features at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of:
(i) a storage modulus G′ lower than 500 Pa at 10 Hz frequency and at 25° C.; (ii) a swelling ratio (Q) higher than 500; (iii) a viscosity at 0.1 Sec−1 shear rate and at 25° C., lower than 300 Pa·s; and (iv) a viscosity recovery after shear of at least 95%, and wherein the hydrogel is a hybrid hydrogel, and is being characterized by: a viscosity that ranges from 200 to 2000 Pa·s at 0.1 Sec−1 shear rate, at 25° C.; a viscosity recovery after shear of at least 50%, at 0.1 sec−1; and a swelling ratio (Q) that ranges from 100 to 500.