Three-dimensional polymeric biomaterial scaffolds can be implanted in vivo for tissue repair and regeneration. Porous poly(1,8-octanediol-co-citrate) (POC) scaffolds have shown tremendous potential for use in tissue engineering, while retaining robust mechanical properties. In contrast, soft peptide-based hydrogels have lower stiffness, but can be injected in vivo where they can promote angiogenic (blood-vessel forming) or anti-angiogenic responses, depending on the functional sequence in the primary structure of the peptide. We report that beta-sheet-based peptide hydrogels can be hybridized with porous POC scaffolds to yield double-network scaffolds that retain the high mechanical strength and are functionalized with the angiogenic or anti-angiogenic property of the hydrogel. We characterize both the angiogenic and anti-angiogenic hydrogels with biophysical and rheometric analysis and demonstrate their ability to modulate angiogenic responses of the 3D POC scaffold in vivo in a rodent (subcutaneous) model. Since the hydrogels are injectable due to their constitutive non-covalent bonds, this aspect of the material property of the gel opens an exciting avenue for printing specific channels inside a porous 3D scaffold that can self-segregate infiltrating cells into functional niches. Such multi-component scaffolds could be invaluable in repairing soft-tissue defects.

Nanofibrous peptide hydrogels for modulating angiogenic responses of implanted polymeric scaffolds

2019 Fall National Meeting

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