Mussel-Inspired Tissue-Adhesive Hydrogel Based on the Polydopamine–Chondroitin Sulfate Complex for Growth-Factor-Free Cartilage Regeneration

TLDR

Glycosaminoglycan-based hydrogels are widely used for cartilage repair, yet their negative charge and cell‑repellent nature limit cell hosting and tissue regeneration. The study aimed to develop a growth‑factor‑free cartilage repair material by designing a mussel‑inspired polydopamine–chondroitin sulfate–polyacrylamide hydrogel with tissue adhesiveness and superior mechanical strength. The hydrogel was formed by self‑assembly of catechol‑rich polydopamine with chondroitin sulfate to create a PDA–CS complex, which was then homogeneously incorporated into an elastic polyacrylamide network, conferring cell affinity and tissue adhesiveness. Compared with bare chondroitin sulfate, the PDA–CS–PAM hydrogel enhanced chondrogenic differentiation, exhibited super resilience and toughness, and provided a growth‑factor‑free, biomimetic microenvironment that promotes cartilage regeneration.

Abstract

Glycosaminoglycan-based hydrogels are widely used for cartilage repair because glycosaminoglycans are the main component of the cartilage extracellular matrix and can maintain chondrocyte functions. However, most of the glycosaminoglycan-based hydrogels are negatively charged and cell-repellant, and they cannot host cells or favor tissue regeneration. Inspired by mussel chemistry, we designed a polydopamine–chondroitin sulfate–polyacrylamide (PDA–CS–PAM) hydrogel with tissue adhesiveness and super mechanical properties for growth-factor-free cartilage regeneration. Thanks to the abundant reactive catechol groups on the PDA, a cartilage-specific PDA–CS complex was formed by the self-assembly of PDA and CS, and then the PDA–CS complex was homogenously incorporated into an elastic hydrogel network. This catechol-group-enriched PDA–CS complex endowed the hydrogel with good cell affinity and tissue adhesiveness to facilitate cell adhesion and tissue integration. Compared with bare CS, the PDA–CS complex in the hydrogel was more effective in exerting its functions on adhered cells to upregulate chondrogenic differentiation. Because of the synergistic effects of noncovalent interactions caused by the PDA–CS complex and covalently cross-linked PAM network, the hydrogel exhibited super resilience and toughness, meeting the mechanical requirement of cartilage repair. Collectively, this tissue-adhesive and tough PDA–CS–PAM hydrogel with good cell affinity creates a growth-factor-free and biomimetic microenvironment for chondrocyte growth and cartilage regeneration and sheds light on the development of growth-factor-free biomaterials for cartilage repair.