Bioadhesive Hyaluronic Acid-Based Hydrogels for Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) have devastating physical, psychological, and psychosocial consequences for patients. One challenge of nerve tissue repair is the lack of a natural extracellular matrix (ECM) that guides the regenerating axons. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a major ECM component and plays a fundamental role in facilitating lesion healing. Herein, we developed HA-based adhesive hydrogels by modification of HA with dopamine, a mussel-inspired compound with excellent adhesive properties in an aqueous environment. The hydrogels were loaded with the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen and the response of neuronal cells (SH-SY5Y) was evaluated in terms of viability, morphology, and adhesion. The obtained results suggested that the developed materials can bridge lesion gaps, guide axonal growth, and simultaneously act as a vehicle for the delivery of bioactive compounds.