Papers by Keyword: PHEMA Hydrogel

Abstract: A series of linear poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) with defined molecular weights (MW) and narrow molecular distributions were synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using cumyl dithiobenzoate (CDB) as a chain transfer agent. Murine fibroblasts (3T3) were exposed to eluates from various PHEMA samples, washed or unwashed, and with or without dithioester end groups. After 72 hrs in cell culture, no cytotoxic response was elicited by the polymer samples devoid of dithioester end groups, and which also underwent a thorough washing regime. Specimens throughout the entire MW range were internalized by a macrophage (cell line Raw 264), suggesting that such polymers can be used as models for studying the biodegradation of PHEMA.

Abstract: A nonapeptide, which is sensitive to enzymatic digestion by collagenase, was modified by the covalent attachment of an acrylamido group at the terminal positions. The functionalized peptide was used as a crosslinking agent during polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) method was used to obtain a polymer (PHEMA) with an average theoretical molecular weight of 4000 Da, containing enzymatically labile peptide crosslinks. The functionalized peptide was analyzed in detail by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry. The polymerization reaction was monitored by near infrared spectrometry, while the resulting polymer was analyzed by size exclusion chromatography and solid NMR spectrometry. The peptide-crosslinked PHEMA was subjected to an in-vitro degradation assay in the presence of collagenase. At the highest concentration of enzyme used in the study, a weight loss of 35% was recorded after 60 days of incubation in the collagenolytic medium. This suggests that crosslinking with enzymatically degradable peptides is a valid method for inducing biodegradability in polymers that otherwise are not degradable.