An injectable hydrogel based on phenylboronic acid hyperbranched macromer encapsulating gold nanorods and Astragaloside IV nanodrug for myocardial infarction

Cardiac tissue engineering has a great applicable prospect in the treatment of heart disease. The hyperbranched polymer polyethylene glycol diacrylate/4-vinyl phenylboronic acid (PEGDA-PBA) and thiol hyaluronic acid (HA-SH) form an in situ hydrogel that adsorbs AST NPs to achieve drug targeting and sustained release. In addition, the composite hydrogel has certain properties of electrical stimulation through doping of gold nanorods (GNRs). In vitro studies indicated that this gel system exhibited electrical conductivity similar as a natural heart, and has a good efficacy to release drug. Our present study found that the injectable conductive hydrogel loaded with Astragaloside IV nanoparticles (AST NPs) effectively inhibited left ventricular remodeling and myocardial dysfunction after myocardial infarction (MI) in rats. HB (PEG-PBA)/HA-SH/AST NPs/GNRs also upregulated infarct margin angiogenesis, reduced cell apoptosis, and increased an expression of Connexm43 (Cx43). Thus, this bioactive injectable conductive hydrogel may provide an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of MI.