Exploring natural silk protein sericin for regenerative medicine: an injectable, photoluminescent, cell-adhesive 3D hydrogel

Sci Rep. 2014 Nov 20:4:7064. doi: 10.1038/srep07064.

Abstract

Sericin, a major component of silk, has a long history of being discarded as a waste during silk processing. The value of sericin for tissue engineering is underestimated and its potential application in regenerative medicine has just begun to be explored. Here we report the successful fabrication and characterization of a covalently-crosslinked 3D pure sericin hydrogel for delivery of cells and drugs. This hydrogel is injectable, permitting its implantation through minimally invasive approaches. Notably, this hydrogel is found to exhibit photoluminescence, enabling bioimaging and in vivo tracking. Moreover, this hydrogel system possesses excellent cell-adhesive capability, effectively promoting cell attachment, proliferation and long-term survival of various types of cells. Further, the sericin hydrogel releases bioactive reagents in a sustained manner. Additionally, this hydrogel demonstrates good elasticity, high porosity, and pH-dependent degradation dynamics, which are advantageous for this sericin hydrogel to serve as a delivery vehicle for cells and therapeutic drugs. With all these unique features, it is expected that this sericin hydrogel will have wide utility in the areas of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alginates / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Bombyx / metabolism
  • Cell Adhesion / drug effects
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Compressive Strength
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry
  • Elasticity
  • Glucuronic Acid / chemistry
  • Hexuronic Acids / chemistry
  • Horseradish Peroxidase / chemistry
  • Horseradish Peroxidase / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / chemistry
  • Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / metabolism*
  • Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / pharmacology
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Kinetics
  • Luminescent Measurements
  • Mice
  • Porosity
  • Regenerative Medicine*
  • Sericins / chemistry
  • Sericins / metabolism*
  • Silk / metabolism

Substances

  • Alginates
  • Drug Carriers
  • Hexuronic Acids
  • Sericins
  • Silk
  • Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate
  • Glucuronic Acid
  • Horseradish Peroxidase