Electroconductive Biohybrid Hydrogel for Enhanced Maturation and Beating Properties of Engineered Cardiac Tissues. (6th September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Roshanbinfar, Kaveh; Vogt, Lena; Greber, Boris; Diecke, Sebastian; Boccaccini, Aldo R.; Scheibel, Thomas; Engel, Felix B.
• Is Part Of: Advanced functional materials. Volume 28:Number 42(2018)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2018-09-06
• Subjects: electroconductive hydrogels -- heart -- hiPSC -- maturation -- tissue engineering; Materials -- Periodicals; Chemical vapor deposition -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201803951
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1616-301X

Abstract

Abstract: Cardiac tissue engineering is a promising strategy to treat heart failure. Yet, several issues remain to be resolved including the prevention of arrhythmia caused by inefficient electrical coupling within the graft and between graft and host tissue. Here, a biohybrid hydrogel composed of collagen, alginate, and electroconductive poly(3, 4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) is developed that exhibits extracellular matrix–mimetic fibrous structures and enhanced electrical coupling as well and cardiomyocyte maturation. Presence of PEDOT:PSS in the hydrogel improves electrical conductivity and prevents arrhythmia of tissue constructs containing neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Moreover, it results in increasing beating frequencies reaching more than 200 beats min −1 endogenous frequencies. In addition, cardiomyocytes exhibit increased alignment and density in these constructs, improved sarcomere organization, and enhanced connexin 43 expression, suggesting maturation of the cardiac tissue. Importantly, the here developed electroconductive biohybrid hydrogels also improve maturation and beating properties of human‐induced pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes. These cells exhibit 1.9 µm near adult sarcomeric length, enhanced beating frequency, increased speed of contraction, and larger contraction amplitude. Collectively, the data demonstrate the potential of this electroconductive biohybrid hydrogel to improve tissue engineering approaches to treat heart failure and possibly diseases of other electrically sensitive tissues. Abstract : One of the main challenges in cardiac tissue engineering is induction of arrhythmia after cell transplantation. Here, an electroconductive biohybrid hydrogel is developed mimicking structure and self‐relaxing mechanical properties of the native cardiac extracellular matrix. This biohybrid hydrogel enhances beating properties of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, eliminates arrhythmia, and promotes maturation of human‐induced pluripotent stem cell‐derived cardiomyocytes without external stimulation.