A Hydrogel as a Bespoke Delivery Platform for Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1

Abstract

The defined self-assembly of peptides (SAPs) into nanostructured bioactive hydrogels has great potential for repairing traumatic brain injuries, as they maintain a stable, homeostatic environment at an injury site, preventing further degeneration. They also present a bespoke platform to restore function via the naturalistic presentation of therapeutic proteins, such as stromal-cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1), expressed by meningeal cells. A key challenge to the use of the SDF protein, however, is its rapid diffusion and degradation. Here, we engineered a homeostatic hydrogel produced by incorporating recombinant SDF-1 protein within a self-assembled peptide hydrogel to create a supportive mili..