Biodegradable Hydrogels based on PEGylated Proteins for Tissue Engineering Applications

摘要

Biological proteins covalently modified with synthetic polymers have been used extensively to prolong the half-life and enhance the therapeutic potential of important biological macromolecules. Perhaps the most notable example of such modification schemes is based on the use of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) for improving the performance of therapeutic agents such as interferon. PEG modification of the proteins (PEGylation) is associated with several beneficial characteristics including decreased enzymatic degradation rates, reduced immunogenicity, and improved physicochemical properties. Although there are commercially available PEGylated therapeutic proteins, few have applied this technological paradigm to structural proteins for biomaterials discovery. Our group employs the PEGylation approach for designing biodegradable hydrogels for tissue regeneration and drug delivery. The PEGylated protein hydrogels convey biofunctional signals to cells through the protein backbone, including adhesion and protease degradation sites, while the synthetic PEG precursor is used for controlling the physicochemical properties of the matrix.