Optimization of hyaluronic acid-tyramine/silk-fibroin composite hydrogels for cartilage tissue engineering and delivery of anti-inflammatory and anabolic drugs

Injury of articular cartilage leads to an imbalance in tissue homeostasis, and due the poor self-healing capacity affected often exhibits osteoarthritic changes. In recent years, injectable highly tunable composite hydrogels for engineering drug delivery have been introduced as a desirable alternative invasive treatments. this study, we aimed formulate by combining different concentrations hyaluronic acid-tyramine (HA-Tyr) with regenerated silk-fibroin (SF) solutions. Upon enzymatic crosslinking, gelation mechanical properties were characterized over time. To evaluate effect hydrogel compositions on extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, bovine chondrocytes embedded enzymatically crosslinked HA-Tyr/SF composites (in further work abbreviated HA/SF) or HA-Tyr hydrogels. We demonstrated that all formulations cytocompatible could promote expression proteins allowing produce ECM, while most prominent chondrogenic effects observed HA20/SF80 polymeric ratios. Unconfined testing showed compressive modulus chondrocyte-laden constructs was increased almost 10-fold 28 days culture medium which confirmed superior production ECM compared other study. Furthermore, loaded anabolic anti-inflammatory drugs, longest sustained release profile time is long treatment duration typically necessary joints. conclusion, successfully established suitable biomaterial applications.