Engineered collagen hydrogels for the sustained release of biomolecules and imaging agents: promoting the growth of human gingival cells

Abstract

Jonghoon Choi,1,2 Hoyoung Park,3 Taeho Kim,4,5 Yoon Jeong,1,2 Myoung Hwan Oh,4,5 Taeghwan Hyeon,4,5 Assaf A Gilad,6,7 Kwan Hyi Lee3 1Department of Bionanotechnology, Hanyang University, Seoul Campus, Seoul, 2Department of Bionanoengineering, Hanyang University, ERICA Campus, Ansan, 3Center for Biomaterials, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, 4Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul, 5School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea; 6Department of Radiology and Radiological Health, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; 7Institute for Cell Engineering, Baltimore, MD, USA Abstract: We present here the in vitro release profiles of either fluorescently labeled ­biomolecules or computed tomography contrast nanoagents from engineered collagen hydrogels under physiological conditions. The collagen constructs were designed as potential biocompatible inserts into wounded human gingiva. The collagen hydrogels were fabricated under a variety of conditions in order to optimize the release profile of biomolecules and nanoparticles for the desired duration and amount. The collagen constructs containing biomolecules/nanoconstructs were incubated under physiological conditions (ie, 37°C and 5% CO2) for 24 hours, and the release profile was tuned from 20% to 70% of initially loaded materials by varying the gelation conditions of the collagen constructs. The amounts of released biomolecules and nanoparticles were quantified respectively by measuring the intensity of fluorescence and X-ray scattering. The collagen hydrogel we fabricated may serve as an efficient platform for the controlled release of biomolecules and imaging agents in human gingiva to facilitate the regeneration of oral tissues.Keywords: engineered collagen hydrogels, biomolecules, imaging agents, sustained release, human gingival cells, growth