Inorganic-Organic Interpenetrating Network Hydrogels as Tissue-Integrating Luminescent Implants: Physicochemical Characterization and Preclinical Evaluation.

Sensors capable of accurate, continuous monitoring of biochemistry are crucial to the realization of personalized medicine on a large scale. Great strides have been made to enhance tissue compatibility of long-term in vivo biosensors using biomaterials strategies such as tissue-integrating hydrogels. However, the low level of oxygen in tissue presents a challenge for implanted devices, especially when the biosensing function relies on oxygen as a measure-either as a primary analyte or as an indirect marker to transduce levels of other biomolecules. This work presents a method of fabricating inorganic-organic interpenetrating network (IPN) hydrogels to optimize the oxygen transport through injectable biosensors. Capitalizing on the synergy between the two networks, various physicochemical properties (e.g., swelling, glass transition temperature, and mechanical properties) are shown to be independently adjustable while maintaining a 250% increase in oxygen permeability relative to poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) controls. Finally, these gels, when functionalized with a Pd(II) benzoporphyrin phosphor, track tissue oxygen in real time for 76 days as subcutaneous implants in a porcine model while promoting tissue ingrowth and minimizing fibrosis around the implant. These findings support IPN networks for fine-tuned design of implantable biomaterials in personalized medicine and other biomedical applications.

Preclinical Evaluation of Poly(HEMA-co-acrylamide) Hydrogels Encapsulating Glucose Oxidase and Palladium Benzoporphyrin as Fully Implantable Glucose Sensors.

BACKGROUND: Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) require percutaneous wire probes to monitor glucose. Sensors based on luminescent hydrogels are being explored as fully implantable alternatives to traditional CGMs. Our previous work investigated hydrogel matrices functionalized with enzymes and oxygen-quenched phosphors, demonstrating sensitivity to glucose, range of response, and biofouling strongly depend on the matrix material. Here, we further investigate the effect of matrix composition on overall performance in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Sensors based on three hydrogels, a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) homopolymer and 2 poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-acrylamide) (pHEMA-co-AAm) copolymers, were compared. These were used to entrap glucose oxidase (GOx), catalase, and an oxygen-sensitive benzoporphyrin phosphor. All sensor formulations were evaluated for glucose response and stability at physiological temperatures. Selected sensors were then evaluated as implanted sensors in a porcine model challenged with glucose and insulin. The animal protocol used in this study was approved by an IACUC committee at Texas A&M University. RESULTS: PHEMA-co-AAm copolymer hydrogels (75:25 HEMA:AAm) yielded the most even GOx and dye dispersion throughout the hydrogel matrix and best preserved GOx apparent activity. In response to in vitro glucose challenges, this formulation exhibited a dynamic range of 12-167 mg/dL, a sensitivity of 1.44 ± 0.46 µs/(mg/dL), and tracked closely with reference capillary blood glucose values in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: The hydrogel-based sensors exhibited excellent sensitivity and sufficiently rapid response to the glucose levels achieved in vivo, proving feasibility of these materials for use in real-time glucose tracking. Extending the dynamic range and assessing long-term effects in vivo are ongoing efforts.