Patent Application
20250058021
The present disclosure provides acoustically-responsive scaffold (ARS) precursor formulations, acoustically-responsive scaffolds comprising spatially patterned phase-shift perfluorocarbon-containing emulsions, and methods of using thereof (e.g., implants, tissue regeneration, delivery of therapeutic agents).
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/292,811, filed Dec. 22, 2021, the content of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Tissue micromechanics and biological function are dictated by the spatial organization and temporal dynamics of cells as well as the extracellular matrix. A major challenge in regenerative medicine is recapitulating biochemical and biophysical complexities of the native extracellular matrix within engineered constructs.
Extrusion-based bioprinting has become one of the most rapidly evolving fabrication technologies due to its precise layer-by-layer deposition of biomaterials and biological components as well as availability of multiple solidification methods. Bioprinting has enabled fabrication of multifunctional constructs with tunable mechanics and biomolecule release profiles. Several studies demonstrated that precise localization of growth factors, both spatially and temporally, in bioprinted constructs accelerated bone defect healing and angiogenesis compared to implants homogeneously loaded with the same total amount of growth factors. However, the release of biological molecules in bioprinted hydrogels is governed by mechanisms such as diffusion and degradation (either hydrolytic or enzymatic). For personalized therapy and drug delivery applications, hydrogels that respond to an externally-controlled stimulus in a user-defined, spatiotemporally-controlled manner is of great interest. Ultrasound, a clinically-used technology both in diagnostic and therapeutic applications, offers several advantages as a non-invasive stimulus including sub-millimeter precision, deep penetration within the body, and spatiotemporal characteristics. Therefore, developing bioprinted biomaterials that can be modulated with ultrasound opens new opportunities in regenerative medicine.
Disclosed herein are compositions suitable for 3D bioprinting comprising 0.5-5% (w/v) fibrinogen, 1-5% (w/v) alginate, or a combination thereof; and 0.1-2% (w/v) hyaluronic acid. The compositions are extrudable or printable into a user defined shape.
In some embodiments, the composition exhibits shear thinning behavior characterized by a decreasing viscosity with increasing shear rate. In some embodiments, the composition has a zero-shear viscosity greater than 5 Pa·s at 20° C.
In some embodiments, the compositions comprise 0.01-3% (v/v) (e.g., 0.01-1% (v/v)) of a perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion. In some embodiments, the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion comprises perfluorocarbon droplets which vaporize from liquid droplets into gas bubbles in response to ultrasound. In some embodiments, the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion is a double emulsion. In some embodiments, the double emulsion is a water in perfluorocarbon in water double emulsion or an oil in perfluorocarbon in water double emulsion.
In some embodiments, the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion comprises one or more active agents. In some embodiments, the one or more active agents are conjugated to the droplet surface. In some embodiments, the one or more active agents are encapsulated within the droplet. In some embodiments, the active agent comprises a biomolecule, a therapeutic agent, a contrast agent, a detectable marker or label, or any combination thereof.
In some embodiments, the compositions comprise a plurality of cells. In some embodiments, the cells comprise progenitor cells, undifferentiated cells differentiated cells, or a combination thereof.
Also disclosed herein are acoustically-responsive scaffolds comprising a hydrogel comprising fibrin, alginate, hyaluronic acid, or a combination thereof and at least one spatially-patterned perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion. In some embodiments, the scaffolds comprise two or more spatially-patterned perfluorocarbon-containing emulsions. In some embodiments, the hydrogel comprises aligned fibrin fibers.
In some embodiments, the scaffolds further comprise a rigid hydrogel layer.
In some embodiments, the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion comprises perfluorocarbon droplets which vaporize from liquid droplets into gas bubbles in response to ultrasound. In some embodiments, the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion comprises one or more active agents. In some embodiments, the one or more active agents are conjugated to the droplet surface. In some embodiments, the one or more active agents are encapsulated within the droplet. In some embodiments, the active agent comprises a biomolecule, a therapeutic agent, a contrast agent, a detectable marker or label, or any combination thereof.
In some embodiments, the scaffolds comprise a plurality of cells. In some embodiments, the cells comprise progenitor cells, undifferentiated cells differentiated cells, or a combination thereof.
Further disclosed are methods for fabricating acoustically-responsive scaffolds and acoustically-responsive scaffolds made by the disclosed methods. The methods comprise: providing one or more hydrogel compositions comprising: two or more of: 0.5-5% (w/v) fibrinogen, 1-5% (w/v) alginate, and 0.1-2% (w/v) hyaluronic acid, and optionally, 0.01-3% (v/v) of a perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion, a plurality of cells, or a combination thereof; and 3D printing one or more layers of the one or more compositions to form an acoustically-responsive scaffold of defined shape, wherein the acoustically-responsive scaffold comprises at least one spatially-patterned perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion.
In some embodiments, the methods comprise providing a first hydrogel composition comprising two or more of: 0.5-5% (w/v) fibrinogen, 1-5% (w/v) alginate, and 0.1-2% (w/v) hyaluronic acid; 3D printing a first layer comprising the first hydrogel composition; providing a second hydrogel composition comprising two or more of: 0.5-5% (w/v) fibrinogen, 1-5% (w/v) alginate, and 0.1-2% (w/v) hyaluronic acid, and 0.01-3% (v/v) of a perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion; 3D printing a second layer comprising the second hydrogel composition, wherein the second layer is spatially patterned in relationship to the first layer.
In some embodiments, the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion further comprises one or more active agents.
In some embodiments, the methods further comprise providing a rigid hydrogel substrate configured to receive the one or more layers. In some embodiments, the methods further comprise 3D printing a rigid hydrogel layer.
In some embodiments, the methods comprise crosslinking the acoustically-responsive scaffold. In some embodiments, the crosslinking comprises spraying each of the one or more layers with a crosslinking solution after 3D printing. In some embodiments, the crosslinking comprises submerging the acoustically-responsive scaffold in a crosslinking solution. In some embodiments, the crosslinking solution comprises thrombin and calcium chloride.
In some embodiments, the methods result in greater alignment of fibrin fibers compared to a conventionally polymerized acoustically-responsive scaffold. In some embodiments, the methods produce a scaffold having a significantly lower storage modulus compared to a conventionally polymerized acoustically-responsive scaffold.
Additionally disclosed are methods for using the disclosed acoustically-responsive scaffolds for wound healing or tissue repair or regeneration or administration of one or more active agents. The methods comprise implanting an acoustically-responsive scaffold disclosed herein in a desired location (e.g., tissue or organ) in a subject.
In some embodiments, the methods further comprise, exposing the scaffold to one or more ultrasound frequencies, acoustic pressure thresholds, or combinations thereof.
In some embodiments, the desired location is in a soft tissue or hard tissue.
In some embodiments, the acoustically-responsive scaffold comprises non-essential amino acids, antibiotics, cytokines, growth and morphogenic factors, or a combination thereof.
In some embodiments, the delivery of the one or more active agents is controlled spatially, temporally, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, any of all of the one or more active agents are delivered at the same or different times as a result of exposing the scaffold to different ultrasound frequencies, acoustic pressure thresholds, or a combination thereof.
Other aspects and embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent in light of the following detailed description and accompanying figures.
Acoustically-responsive scaffolds (ARSs) comprise a hydrogel matrix doped with a perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion, termed a phase-shift emulsion (PSE). Using externally applied ultrasound, PSEs vaporize into bubbles in a process known as acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV). Bubbles are generated non-thermally within the perfluorocarbon phase of the PSE due to the rarefactional component of the acoustic wave. ARSs are typically polymerized using bulk conventional techniques that inherently limit precise, spatial patterning of the hydrogel component of the ARS as well as PSEs within the ARS. In addition, lower ultrasound frequencies, which are often used to induce ADV in ARSs due to better tissue penetration, inherently possess lower spatial resolutions compared to higher frequencies.
The present disclosure provides bioprintable ARS precursor formulations, termed acoustically-responsive bioinks, based on combinations of three natural biopolymers (fibrin, hyaluronic acid and/or alginate). These 3D-printable acoustically-responsive bioinks enabled fabrication of ARSs with precise micropatterned PSEs and in turn ADV-bubbles at high resolutions which were otherwise not achievable in conventional ARSs. The rheological properties of the bioink compositions described herein (e.g., high zero-shear viscosity and a shear thinning characteristic) are favorable for extrusion-based bioprinting offering advantages to conventional ARSs such as fabrication of ARSs with complex geometries and hydrogel compositions, precise control of the spatial distribution of multiple PSEs, and highly controlled and reproducible micropatterns in ARSs at spatial resolutions unattainable based solely on ultrasound beam dimensions, thereby facilitating better personalization of therapy. Bioprinting also yielded greater alignment of fibrin fibers in ARSs compared to conventionally polymerized ARSs.
Section headings as used in this section and the entire disclosure herein are merely for organizational purposes and are not intended to be limiting.
The terms “comprise(s),” “include(s),” “having,” “has,” “can,” “contain(s),” and variants thereof, as used herein, are intended to be open-ended transitional phrases, terms, or words that do not preclude the possibility of additional acts or structures. The singular forms “a,” “and” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The present disclosure also contemplates other embodiments “comprising,” “consisting of,” and “consisting essentially of,” the embodiments or elements presented herein, whether explicitly set forth or not.
For the recitation of numeric ranges herein, each intervening number there between with the same degree of precision is explicitly contemplated. For example, for the range of 6-9, the numbers 7 and 8 are contemplated in addition to 6 and 9, and for the range 6.0-7.0, the number 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, and 7.0 are explicitly contemplated.
Unless otherwise defined herein, scientific, and technical terms used in connection with the present disclosure shall have the meanings that are commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. The meaning and scope of the terms should be clear; in the event, however of any latent ambiguity, definitions provided herein take precedent over any dictionary or extrinsic definition. Further, unless otherwise required by context, singular terms shall include pluralities and plural terms shall include the singular.
The term “viscosity” refers to the resistance to flow of a material. Viscosity is reported in units of Pa·s (Pascal·second). The term “zero sheer viscosity” as used herein means the viscosity at the limit of low shear rate. In other words, the maximum plateau value attained as shear stress or shear rate is reduced. Zero-shear viscosity is effectively the viscosity of a product whilst at rest.
A “subject” or “patient” may be human or non-human and may include, for example, animal strains or species used as “model systems” for research purposes, such a mouse model as described herein. Likewise, patient may include either adults or juveniles (e.g., children). Moreover, patient may mean any living organism, preferably a mammal (e.g., human or non-human) that may benefit from the administration of compositions contemplated herein. Examples of mammals include, but are not limited to, any member of the Mammalian class: humans, non-human primates such as chimpanzees, and other apes and monkey species; farm animals such as cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine; domestic animals such as rabbits, dogs, and cats; laboratory animals including rodents, such as rats, mice and guinea pigs, and the like. Examples of non-mammals include, but are not limited to, birds, fish, and the like. In one embodiment, the mammal is a human.
As used herein, the terms “providing,” “administering,” and “introducing” are used interchangeably herein and refer to the placement of the scaffolds of the disclosure into a subject by a method or route which results in localization to a desired site.
Preferred methods and materials are described below, although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in practice or testing of the present disclosure. All publications, patent applications, patents and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. The materials, methods, and examples disclosed herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.
Acoustically-responsive scaffolds (ARSs) consist of a hydrogel matrix doped with a perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion, termed a phase-shift emulsion (PSE). Provided herein are acoustically-responsive scaffold (ARS) precursor compositions, or bioinks, and acoustically-responsive scaffolds comprising spatially patterned perfluorocarbon-containing phase-shift emulsions (PSEs), in some embodiments, fabricated by 3D printing with the precursor compositions.
The present disclosure provides compositions comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of fibrinogen, alginate, hyaluronic acid, or a combination thereof. The fibrinogen, alginate, and hyaluronic acid suitable for use in the compositions disclosed herein may be natural polymers or chemically or chemoenzymatically modified (e.g., methacrylated, thiolated, oxidated, amidated). Herein, fibrinogen, alginate, and hyaluronic acid refer to the natural polymers, chemically modified derivatives, and salt forms thereof. The fibrinogen, alginate, and hyaluronic acid are not limited to any particularly molecular weight range or distribution.
In some embodiments, the compositions comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of two or more of: 0.5-5% (w/v) fibrinogen, 1-5% (w/v) alginate, and 0.1-2% (w/v) hyaluronic acid. In some embodiments, the compositions comprise 0.5-5% (w/v) fibrinogen, 1-5% (w/v) alginate, or a combination thereof; and 0.1-2% (w/v) hyaluronic acid. In some embodiments, the compositions comprise 0.5-4% (w/v) fibrinogen and 0.2-2% (w/v) hyaluronic acid. In some embodiments, the compositions comprise 0.5-4% (w/v) fibrinogen and 1-5% (w/v) alginate. In some embodiments, the compositions comprise 1-5% (w/v) alginate and 0.1-2% (w/v) hyaluronic acid. In some embodiments, the compositions comprise 0.5-5% (w/v) fibrinogen, 1-5% (w/v) alginate, and 0.1-2% (w/v) hyaluronic acid.
The compositions may comprise 0.5-5% (w/v) (e.g., 1-5% (w/v), 2-5% (w/v), 3-5% (w/v), 4-5% (w/v), 1-4% (w/v), 2-4% (w/v), 3-4% (w/v), 1-3% (w/v), 2-3% (w/v)) fibrinogen. In some embodiments, the compositions comprise about 0.5% (w/v), about 1.0% (w/v), about 1.5% (w/v), about 2.0% (w/v), about 2.5% (w/v), about 3.0% (w/v), about 3.5% (w/v), about 4.0% (w/v), about 4.5% (w/v), or about 5.0% (w/v) fibrinogen. In select embodiments, the compositions comprise about 2.0% (w/v) fibrinogen.
The compositions may comprise 1-5% (w/v) (e.g., 1-5% (w/v), 2-5% (w/v), 3-5% (w/v), 4-5% (w/v), 1-4% (w/v), 2-4% (w/v), 3-4% (w/v)) alginate. In some embodiments, the compositions comprise about 1.0% (w/v), about 1.5% (w/v), about 2.0% (w/v), about 2.5% (w/v), about 3.0% (w/v), about 3.5% (w/v), about 4.0% (w/v), about 4.5% (w/v), or about 5.0% (w/v) alginate. In select embodiments, the compositions comprise at least about 2.0% (w/v) alginate. In select embodiments, the compositions comprise about 2.0% (w/v) to about 4.0% (w/v) alginate.
In some embodiments, the composition comprises a ratio of fibrinogen to alginate of 1:1 to 1:2 by weight.
The compositions may comprise 0.1-2% (w/v) (e.g., 0.1-1.5% (w/v), 0.1-1.0% (w/v), 0.1-0.5% % (w/v), 0.5-1.5% (w/v), 0.5-1.0% (w/v), 1-2% (w/v)) hyaluronic acid. In some embodiments, the compositions comprise at least 0.3% (w/v) hyaluronic acid. In some embodiments, the compositions comprise less than 0.75% (w/v) hyaluronic acid. In select embodiments, the compositions comprise 0.3-0.75% (w/v) hyaluronic acid.
In some embodiments, the compositions comprise about 0.1% (w/v), about 0.2% (w/v), about 0.3% (w/v), about 0.4% (w/v), about 0.5% (w/v), about 0.6% (w/v), about 0.7% (w/v), about 0.8% (w/v), about 0.9% (w/v), about 1.0% (w/v), about 1.1% (w/v), about 1.2% (w/v), about 1.3% (w/v), about 1.4% (w/v), about 1.5% (w/v), about 1.6% (w/v), about 1.7% (w/v), about 1.8% (w/v), about 1.9% (w/v) or about 2.0% (w/v) hyaluronic acid.
In some embodiments, the composition comprises a ratio of hyaluronic acid to fibrinogen of 1:2 to 1:5 by weight. In select embodiments, the composition comprises a ratio of hyaluronic acid to fibrinogen of about 1:2, about 1:2.5, about 1:3, about 1:3.5, about 1:4, about 1:4.5, or about 1:5.
The compositions are configured to be extrudable or printable, for example, into a defined shape, thereby allowing fabrication of customized and complex acoustically-responsive scaffolds for biomedical applications and subject-specific therapies.
In some embodiments, the composition exhibits shear thinning behavior characterized by a decreasing viscosity with increasing shear rate. The increased shear and/or strain can be associated with extruding or printing the composition, and the viscosity of the composition can recover after extruding or printing the composition to provide a defined shape. The shear-thinning behavior allows flow through a printer nozzle at low shear rates, reducing the mechanical stress, e.g., for example stress on cells which may be in the composition. For example, the composition can have an elastic modulus (G′) higher than the loss modulus (G″) with decreased shear and/or strain on the composition and a loss modulus (G″) higher than the elastic modulus (G′) with increased shear and/or strain on the composition.
The compositions may also exhibit high, or reasonably high, zero-shear viscosity, a fast response to re-establish the high zero-shear viscosity after extrusion, and a rapid gelation to avoid deformation of the final scaffold.
The high zero-shear viscosity allows shape fidelity following printing and prevents fast sedimentation of droplets in the emulsion. The zero-shear viscosity may be significantly higher than that of conventional fibrinogen solution, which has a similar viscosity to water, of approximately 1 mPa·s. In some embodiments, the composition has a zero-shear viscosity greater than 5 Pa·s at 20° C. For example, the composition may have a zero-shear viscosity greater than 5 Pa·s, greater than 10 Pa·s, greater than 20 Pa·s, greater than 30 Pa·s, greater than 40 Pa·s, greater than 50 Pa·s, or more at 20° C.
The compositions may optionally further contain an agent or agents to assist in the polymerization of the fibrinogen, alginate, or hyaluronic acid. For example, Factor XIII can be mixed with fibrinogen to enhance polymerization.
The compositions as provided herein can optionally contain non-active excipients such as, but not limited to, water, preservative agents, buffering agents, electrolyte agents.
The compositions disclosed herein may comprise a perfluorocarbon (PFC)-containing emulsion (e.g., up to 3% (v/v). Higher concentrations emulsions can cause shear induced aggregations and 3D printing difficulties. The perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion comprises perfluorocarbon droplets which vaporize from liquid droplets into gas bubbles in response to ultrasound.
The compositions may comprise 0.01-3% (v/v) of a perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion. In some embodiments, the compositions comprise 0.01-2.5% (v/v), 0.01-2.0% (v/v), 0.01-1.5% (v/v), 0.01-1.0% (v/v), 0.01-0.5% (v/v), 0.01-0.25% (v/v), 0.01-0.1% (v/v), 0.01-0.05% (v/v), 0.05-3.0% (v/v), 0.05-2.5% (v/v), 0.05-2.0% (v/v), 0.05-1.5% (v/v), 0.05-1.0% (v/v), 0.05-0.5% (v/v), 0.05-0.25% (v/v), 0.05-0.1% (v/v), 0.1-3.0% (v/v), 0.1-2.5% (v/v), 0.1-2.0% (v/v), 0.1-1.5% (v/v), 0.1-1.0% (v/v), 0.1-0.5% (v/v), 0.1-0.25% (v/v), 0.25-3.0% (v/v), 0.25-2.5% (v/v), 0.25-2.0% (v/v), 0.25-1.5% (v/v), 0.25-1.0% (v/v), 0.25-0.5% (v/v), 0.5-3.0% (v/v), 0.5-2.5% (v/v), 0.5-2.0% (v/v), 0.5-1.5% (v/v), 0.5-1.0% (v/v), 1.0-3.0% (v/v), 1.0-2.5% (v/v), 1.0-2.0% (v/v), 1.0-1.5% (v/v), 1.5-3.0% (v/v), 1.5-2.5% (v/v), 1.5-2.0% (v/v), 2.0-3.0% (v/v), 2.0-2.5% (v/v), or 2.5-3.0% (v/v) of a perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion. In select embodiments, the compositions comprise 0.01-1% (v/v) (e.g., about 0.01% (v/v), about 0.025% (v/v), about 0.05% (v/v), about 0.01% (v/v), about 0.5% (v/v), or about 1% (v/v)) of a perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion
Perfluorocarbon used in emulsions suitable for ADV applications possess bulk boiling points that are lower than normal body temperature (37° C.), such as perfluoropentane (29° C. boiling point) or higher than 37° C., such as perfluorooctane (105.9° C. boiling point). Low boiling point PFCs, such as perfluoropentane, also enable the use of lower acoustic amplitudes to generate ADV and the production of stable gas bubbles in vivo. In some embodiments, the PFC emulsion comprises perfluoropropane, perfluorobutane, perfluoropentane, perfluorohexane, perfluoroheptane, perfluorooctane, or a combination thereof.
In some embodiments, the emulsion is a double emulsion. Double emulsions comprising PFC droplets are known in the art, and are described in Fabiilli et al., Pharm Res. 27(12): 2753-2765 (2010), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In some embodiments, the double emulsion comprises a primary (water-in-PFC) and a secondary emulsion (water-in-PFC-in-water), and is one in which aqueous droplets are suspended within a PFC droplet and have the following structure: water-in-PFC-in-water (W1/PFC/W2). In some embodiments, the double emulsion would be oil-in-PFC-in-water double emulsion, oil referring herein to a phase capable of solubilizing a lipophilic substances.
In some embodiments, the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion comprises more than one population or type of PFC droplet. For example, the different populations or types of PFC droplets may comprise different perfluorocarbons, may be different types of emulsions (single vs. double), or may have different vaporization properties (e.g., vaporizing at different ultrasound frequencies and/or acoustic pressure thresholds, generating stable or transient bubbles).
In some embodiments, the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion may further comprise a surfactant. The surfactant may stabilize the emulsion. The nature of the surfactant is largely based on the type of emulsion being stabilized. For example, a suitable surfactant for stabilizing a water-in-PFC-in-water emulsion may comprise an aqueous soluble surfactant, including but not limited to proteins, lipids, ionic copolymers, and non-ionic copolymers.
The present disclosure further provides acoustically-responsive scaffolds comprising a hydrogel composition comprising fibrin, alginate, hyaluronic acid, or a combination thereof.
In some embodiments, the acoustically-responsive scaffolds comprise a spatially-patterned perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion. The perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion comprises perfluorocarbon droplets which vaporize from liquid droplets into gas bubbles in response to ultrasound. Descriptions and embodiments of the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion described above in relation to the disclosed compositions are applicable to the described scaffolds.
Spatially patterned, as used herein, refers to a defined pattern or patterns of one or more perfluorocarbon-containing emulsions in reference to at least one dimension of the scaffold (e.g., parallel or perpendicular to the thickness of the scaffold or in discreet domains or regions of the scaffold). Thus, spatially-patterned perfluorocarbon-containing emulsions can be targeted to a single region or multiple regions of the scaffold (e.g., at multiple depths within the scaffold or regions of the scaffold configured to interact with desired tissues or organs).
In some embodiments, the scaffold comprises more than one population or type of perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion. For example, the different populations or types of perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion may comprise different perfluorocarbons, may be different types of emulsions (single vs. double), or may have different vaporization properties (e.g., vaporizing at different ultrasound frequencies and/or acoustic pressure thresholds). The more than one perfluorocarbon-containing emulsions may have the same or different spatial patterning.
In some embodiments, the hydrogel composition of the acoustically-responsive scaffolds comprises aligned fibrin fibers. Fiber alignment may influence the mechanical properties of the hydrogel and its functional behavior (e.g., cell alignment, proliferation, and differentiation in tissue regeneration). In some embodiments, the fiber alignment is spatially-patterned, allowing tailoring of cellular responses in the acoustically-responsive scaffolds, migration of the PFC droplet and/or bubble generation, and active agent release kinetics.
The device may comprise different hydrogel layers with alternative mechanical and/or rheological properties. In some embodiments, the scaffold further comprises a rigid hydrogel layer, e.g., a hydrogel layer with a higher elastic modulus than the hydrogel comprising fibrin, alginate, hyaluronic acid, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the rigid hydrogel has an elastic modulus (G′) higher than the loss modulus (G″). A layer with higher elastic modulus (e.g., a rigid layer) can be used to control or direct the acoustic droplet vaporization dynamics, release kinetics, and migratory permissiveness of scaffolds. The rigid layer may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of alginate.
In some embodiments, the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsions of the disclosed compositions or scaffolds comprise one or more active agents. In some embodiments, a single perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion or type of PFC comprises one or more active agents. In some embodiments, the compositions or scaffolds comprise more than one type of PFC droplet or perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion, each comprising distinct active agent(s).
“Active agent” as used herein refers to any compound useful for therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic purposes (e.g., any compound that is administered to a subject for the treatment, prevention, or diagnosis of a condition.). The active agent may comprise a biomolecule, a therapeutic agent, a contrast agent, a detectable marker or label, or any combination thereof.
In some embodiments, the active agent is a therapeutic agent. Generally, any therapeutic agent can be encapsulated or tethered to the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsions depending, for example, upon the condition to be treated. As used herein, the term “therapeutic agent” generally means a molecule, group of molecules, complex or substance administered to a subject for diagnostic, therapeutic, preventative medical, or veterinary purposes. Therapeutic agents encompass proteins, peptides, antigens, immunogens, vaccines, antibodies or portions thereof, antibody-like molecules, enzymes, nucleic acids, siRNA, shRNA, aptamers, small molecules, antibiotics, and any combinations thereof, including, but not limited to, topical, localized and systemic human and animal pharmaceuticals, treatments, remedies, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, biologicals, and contraceptives, including preparations useful in clinical and veterinary prevention, prophylaxis, healing, wellness, therapy, surgery, cosmetics, prosthetics, and the like.
The term “therapeutic agent” also includes an agent that is capable of providing a local or systemic biological, physiological, or therapeutic effect in the biological system to which it is applied. Exemplary therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, anti-inflammatory agents, anti-infective agents (including antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiprotozoal agents), anti-allergic agents, anti-proliferative agents, anti-angiogenic agents, anti-oxidants, neuroprotective agents, hormones, anti-microbial agents, would healing agents, chemotherapeutic agents, and the like. For example, the therapeutic agent can act to control infection or inflammation, enhance cell growth and tissue regeneration, control tumor growth, act as an analgesic, promote anti-cell attachment, and enhance bone growth, among other functions. Other therapeutic agents include prodrugs, which are agents that are not biologically active when administered but, upon administration to a subject are converted to biologically active agents through metabolism or some other mechanism.
Exemplary therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, those found in Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 13th Edition, Eds. T. R. Harrison et al. McGraw-Hill N.Y., NY; Physicians Desk Reference, 50th Edition, 1997, Oradell N.J., Medical Economics Co.; Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 8th Edition, Goodman and Gilman, 1990; United States Pharmacopeia, The National Formulary, USP XII NF XVII, 1990, the complete contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In some embodiments, the active agent is a biomolecule. In some embodiments, the biomolecule promotes tissue formation, destruction, and/or targets a specific disease state (e.g., growth promoters, growth factors, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, sugars, sugar alcohols). Examples include, but are not limited to, chemotactic agents, various proteins (e.g., short term peptides, bone morphogenic proteins, collagen, glycoproteins, and lipoprotein), cell attachment mediators, biologically active ligands, integrin binding sequence, various growth and/or differentiation agents and fragments thereof (e.g., epidermal growth factor (EGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF), fibroblast growth factors (e.g., bFGF), platelet derived growth factors (PDGF), insulin-like growth factor (e.g., IGF-I, IGF-II) and transforming growth factors (e.g., TGF-β I-III), parathyroid hormone, parathyroid hormone related peptide, bone morphogenic proteins (e.g., BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-6, BMP-7, BMP-12, BMP-13, BMP-14), transcription factors, such as sonic hedgehog, growth differentiation factors (e.g., GDF5, GDF6, GDF8), recombinant human growth factors (e.g., MP52 and the MP-52 variant rhGDF-5), cartilage-derived morphogenic proteins (CDMP-1, CDMP-2, CDMP-3), small molecules that affect the upregulation of specific growth factors, tenascin-C, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, fibronectin, decorin, thromboelastin, thrombin-derived peptides, heparin-binding domains, heparin, heparan sulfate, nucleic acids or polynucleotides (e.g., DNA or RNA encoding proteins, interfering RNA molecules), matrix metalloproteinases, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase enzymes, proteoglycans, glycoproteins, and glycosaminoglycans.
In some embodiments, the active agent comprises a detectable marker or label. It will be understood that a label contemplated by the disclosure includes chemiluminescent molecules, radioactive labels, dyes, fluorescent molecules (e.g., small synthetic compounds or fluorescent proteins), and phosphorescent molecules, as well as other detectable labels known in the art. The detectable marker or label may be used alone, or they may be attached to another active agent (e.g., a therapeutic agent) using methods known in the art.
In some embodiments, the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion comprises one or more active agents conjugated to the droplet surface. In these embodiments, the emulsion may comprise a higher droplet concentration due to decreased availability for loading the active agent into the emulsion.
In some embodiments, the one or more active agents are encapsulated within the droplets of the emulsion. In some embodiments, the active agent is hydrophilic or lipophilic and a double emulsion is used to carry the agents.
The compositions and scaffolds disclosed herein may further comprise a plurality of cells. In some embodiments, the cells are spatially-patterned in the scaffold.
The term “cell” can refer to any progenitor cell, such as totipotent stem cells, pluripotent stem cells, and multipotent stem cells, as well as any of their lineage descendant cells, including more differentiated cells. The terms “stem cell” and “progenitor cell” are used interchangeably herein. The cells can derive from embryonic, fetal, or adult tissues. Examples of progenitor cells can include totipotent stem cells, multipotent stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), hematopoietic stem cells, neuronal stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, pancreatic stem cells, cardiac stem cells, embryonic stem cells, embryonic germ cells, neural crest stem cells, kidney stem cells, hepatic stem cells, lung stem cells, hemangioblast cells, and endothelial progenitor cells. Additional exemplary progenitor cells can include de-differentiated chondrogenic cells, chondrogenic cells, cord blood stem cells, multi-potent adult progenitor cells, myogenic cells, osteogenic cells, tendogenic cells, ligamentogenic cells, adipogenic cells, and dermatogenic cells.
Choice of cells will depend upon the particular downstream use of the compositions and related scaffold. The cells of the compositions and scaffolds described herein can be any cells including, for example, differentiated cells, undifferentiated cells, stem cells and/or progenitor cells with a cell lineage potential that corresponds to a tissue. The cells can be unipotent, oligopotent, multipotent, or pluripotent. In some embodiments, the cells are adult stem cells. The cells can be allogeneic or autologous. In particular embodiments, the cells include mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The cells can be animal cells, such as human cells. The compositions or scaffolds can contain a single cell type, or two or more different types of cells, e.g., cells of two or more different lineages.
Provided herein are methods for fabricating an acoustically-responsive scaffold. The methods comprise: providing one or more hydrogel compositions comprising two or more of: 0.5-5% (w/v) fibrinogen, 1-5% (w/v) alginate, and 0.1-2% (w/v) hyaluronic acid, and, optionally 0.01-3% (v/v) of a perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion, a plurality of cells, or a combination thereof; and 3D printing one or more layers of the one or more compositions to form an acoustically-responsive scaffold of defined shape.
In some embodiments, the acoustically-responsive scaffolds are fabricated using one or more of the compositions as disclosed herein. Descriptions and embodiments of the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsions and hydrogel compositions described above in relation to the disclosed compositions are applicable to the described methods.
In some embodiments, the acoustically-responsive scaffold comprises at least one spatially-patterned perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion. For example, the methods may comprise providing a first hydrogel composition comprising two or more of: 0.5-5% (w/v) fibrinogen, 1-5% (w/v) alginate, and 0.1-2% (w/v) hyaluronic acid, 3D printing a first layer comprising the first hydrogel composition, providing a second hydrogel composition comprising two or more of: 0.5-5% (w/v) fibrinogen, 1-5% (w/v) alginate, and 0.1-2% (w/v) hyaluronic acid, and 0.01-3% (v/v) of a perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion, 3D printing a second layer comprising the second hydrogel composition, wherein the second layer is spatially patterned in relationship to the first layer.
In some embodiments, the methods further comprise 3D printing one or more additional layers comprising the first hydrogel composition or the second hydrogel composition. Any or all of the first hydrogel compositions or second hydrogel compositions may optionally further comprise a plurality of cells or an active agent. Thus, layering of the first hydrogen composition and second hydrogel composition facilitates spatial patterning of the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion, and additionally, facilitates spatial patterning of the plurality of cells and active agents in complex acoustically-responsive scaffolds.
The acoustically-responsive scaffolds may comprise one or more active agents. In some embodiments, the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion comprises one or more active agents. Thus, in some embodiments, the active agent(s) is spatially patterned as a result of the spatial patterning of the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion. In some embodiments, the methods comprise providing and 3D printing a plurality of second layers, each comprising a hydrogel composition comprising a perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion with the same or different active agent(s).
The acoustically-responsive scaffolds may comprise a plurality of cells. For example, the methods may comprise providing and 3D printing a cellular layer comprising a hydrogel composition comprising cells. Alternatively, each hydrogel composition used for forming each layer of the acoustically-responsive scaffold may comprise cells. In some embodiments, the cells in each layer may be the same or different. Thus, the cells may be one or more layers, may be spatially patterned, or may be homogeneous throughout.
In some embodiments, the 3D printing comprises bioprinting. Herein “bioprinting” refers to three-dimensional, precise deposition of the described hydrogels utilizing methodology that is compatible with an automated, computer-aided, three-dimensional prototyping device (e.g., a 3D printer or bioprinter).
In some embodiments, the acoustically-responsive scaffold further comprises a rigid hydrogel layer. The rigid hydrogel may be prepared in advance and the hydrogel comprising fibrin, alginate, and/or hyaluronic acid may be printed on the preformed rigid layer. Alternatively, the rigid hydrogel layer may be printed prior to printing of the other layers.
In some embodiments, the methods further comprise crosslinking the acoustically-responsive scaffold. The crosslinking may provide improved mechanical properties, such as resistance to shear or tensile loading and excessive swelling. In some embodiments, the crosslinking comprises spraying each of the one or more layers with a crosslinking solution after 3D printing. In some embodiments, the crosslinking comprises submerging the acoustically-responsive scaffold in a crosslinking solution.
In some embodiments, crosslinking solution comprises a divalent cation, such as (but not limited to) a divalent metal cation selected from the group consisting of Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+, and combinations thereof. The cation is typically, although not necessarily, present as a neutral salt; for example, Ca2+ may be present as calcium chloride, CaCl2). Other less preferred divalent metal due to potentially toxicity include Pb2+, Cu2+, Cd2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, and Mn2+. In some embodiments, the crosslinking agent may comprise divalent organic cations.
Fibrinogen is proteolytically cleaved and converted to fibrin monomer in the presence of a catalyst (e.g., thrombin). The fibrin monomers can then form a matrix of crosslinked fibrin, as a result of factor XIII. In some embodiments, the acoustically-responsive scaffold is crosslinked with a second agent that has thrombin and/or factor XIII for crosslinking the fibrinogen. In some embodiments, Factor XIII can be mixed with fibrinogen prior printing to enhance polymerization
In select embodiments, the crosslinking solution comprises thrombin, factor XIII, calcium chloride, or a combination thereof.
The acoustically-responsive scaffold fabricated using the methods described herein may exhibit improved mechanical properties over conventionally polymerized acoustically-responsive scaffolds. In some embodiments, the methods result in greater alignment of fibrin fibers compared to a conventionally polymerized acoustically-responsive scaffold. Fiber alignment may influence the mechanical properties of the hydrogel and its functional behavior (e.g., cell alignment, proliferation, and differentiation in tissue regeneration). In some embodiments, the methods result in a lower storage modulus compared to a conventionally polymerized acoustically-responsive scaffold.
The acoustically-responsive scaffolds disclosed herein can find use in a variety of applications including implants for hard and soft tissue, tissue regeneration and repair, particularly tissues and organs with irregularly shaped wounds, precision delivery of active agents (e.g., spatial precision or temporal precision of a single agent, precise spatial or temporal delivery of multiple agents, personalization of drug therapies), localized activation of immune system, and the like.
The present disclosure provides methods for promoting wound healing or tissue repair or regeneration comprising implanting an acoustically-responsive scaffold as disclosed herein in the desired tissue or organ in the subject. For example, the scaffolds, with or without cells or growth factors, can be implanted in diseased or damaged tissues or organs to promote tissue repair.
The acoustically-responsive scaffolds may be used for wound closure systems, including vascular wound repair devices, hemostatic dressings, tissue engineering applications, such as, for example, scaffolds for tissue regeneration, ligament prosthetic devices and in products for implantation into the human body. Additionally, the scaffolds disclosed herein can be used for organ repair replacement or regeneration strategies that may benefit from the customizable scaffolds herein, including but are not limited to, spine disc, cranial tissue, dura, nerve tissue, liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder, spleen, cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle, tendons, ligaments, and breast tissues.
In some embodiments, the scaffold comprises non-essential amino acids, antibiotics, cytokines, and growth and morphogenic factors. “Growth factor” herein refers to a protein, polypeptide, or polypeptide complex which is produced by a cell and capable of affecting itself and/or various other adjacent or distant cells. Growth factors typically affect the growth and/or differentiation of certain types of cells either genetically or in response to a number of biochemical or environmental stimuli. Some, but not all, of the growth factors are hormones. Exemplary growth factors include insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF), nerve growth factor (NGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF) including basic FGF (bFGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) including PDGF-AA and PDGF-AB, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) including BMP-2 and BMP-7, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α), transforming growth factor Beta (TGF-β) including TGFβ1 and TGFβ3, Epidermal growth factor (EGF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-8.
In some embodiments, the desired tissue for repair or regeneration is a soft tissue. Soft tissues include any tissue not hardened by an ossification or calcification process. Soft tissues include, but are not limited to, muscles, tendons, ligaments, fat, fibrous tissue, lymph and blood vessels, fasciae, and synovial membrane.
In some embodiments, the desired tissue for repair or regeneration is a hard tissue. Hard tissues are those with are mineralized or hardened by ossification or calcification, including, for example, bone, tooth enamel, dentin, and cementum.
The present disclosure further provides methods for administering one or more active agents to a subject. The methods comprise implanting an acoustically-responsive scaffold as disclosed herein in a target site in the subject, wherein the acoustically-responsive scaffold comprises one or more active agents, and exposing the scaffold to an ultrasound frequency, acoustic pressure threshold, or a combination thereof to deliver the one or more active agents to the target site. Ultrasound frequencies between about 0.5 MHz and about 50 MHz are suitable for use with the scaffolds and methods disclosed herein.
In some embodiments, the one or more active agent is sequestered within the droplets of the perfluorocarbon-containing emulsion and is released into the scaffold and target site as a result of ultrasound frequency, acoustic pressure threshold, or a combination thereof. Since ultrasound can be focused non-invasively and at a precise depth with sub-millimeter precision, the location at which droplet vaporization and administration of the agent occurs can be controlled externally with the ultrasound, or, alternatively, the spatial patterning of the perfluorocarbon emulsion acts to inherently control the location of droplet vaporization and administration of the agent from the scaffold. In some embodiments, the methods and devices described herein enable higher precision of therapy with micropatterning of droplets compared to conventional methods, e.g., at spatial resolutions higher than the ultrasound beam dimensions.
The delivery of active agents can also be controlled through the use of multiple populations of perfluorocarbon-containing emulsions or PFC droplets which vaporize at distinct ultrasound frequency and/or acoustic pressure thresholds. For example, a first active agent may be delivered after exposing the scaffold to a first ultrasound frequency and/or acoustic pressure threshold, then, following a period of time (e.g., minutes, hours, days, or weeks), a second active agent may be delivered after exposing the scaffold to a second ultrasound frequency and/or acoustic pressure threshold. The first active agent and the second active agent may be the same or different. In some embodiments, when the first and second active agents are the same, they may be in different amounts or dosages within the multiple populations of perfluorocarbon-containing emulsions or PFC droplets. Thus, the multiple populations of perfluorocarbon-containing emulsions or PFC droplets allow for spatial and temporal delivery of active agents.
Also within the scope of the present disclosure are systems or kits that include the components of the disclosed compositions or one or more of the disclosed acoustically-responsive scaffolds. For example, in some embodiments, the systems or kits include or all of: fibrinogen, or compositions thereof, alginate, or compositions thereof, hyaluronic acid, or compositions thereof, one or more perfluorocarbon-containing emulsions or components thereof, one or more active agents, and cells.
Individual member components of the systems or kits may be physically packaged together or separately. The components of the systems or kits may be provided in bulk packages (e.g., multi-use packages) or single-use packages. The systems or kits provided herein are in suitable packaging. Suitable packaging includes, but is not limited to, vials, bottles, jars, flexible packaging, and the like.
The systems or kits can also comprise instructions for using the components of the kit. The instructions are relevant materials or methodologies pertaining to the systems or kits. The materials may include any combination of the following: background information, list of components and their availability information (purchase information, etc.), brief or detailed protocols for using the compositions, troubleshooting, references, technical support, and any other related documents. Instructions can be supplied with the systems or kits or as a separate member component, either as a paper form or an electronic form which may be supplied on computer readable memory device or downloaded from an internet website, or as recorded presentation.
It is understood that the disclosed systems or kits can be employed in connection with the disclosed methods. The system or kit may further contain additional containers or devices for use with the methods disclosed herein.
Microfluidic production of PSEs PSEs with a water (W1)-in-perfluorocarbon-in-water (W2) structure were manufactured using a microfluidic chip (Cat #3200146, junction: 14 μm×17 μm, Dolomite, Royston, United Kingdom) as described previously (M. Aliabouzar, et al., Ultrasound in medicine & biology 45(12) (2019) 3246-3260, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Perfluorohexane (C6F14, CAS #355-42-0, Strem Chemicals) or perfluorooctane (C8F18, CAS #307-34-6, Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA) was used as the perfluorocarbon phase. The W1 phase, encapsulated by a fluorosurfactant copolymer, contained fluorescently labeled dextran in phosphate buffered saline (PBS, Life Technologies). Three fluorescently-labeled dextrans were used in this study (
To produce monodispersed, micron-sized PSEs with different average diameters (Ø), the primary emulsion and W2 phase, which was 50 mg/mL Pluronic F68 (CAS #9003-11-6, Sigma-Aldrich) in PBS, were pumped at two different flow rate combinations: i) inner and outer channels at 1 μL/min and 10 μL/min, respectively and ii) inner and outer channels at 0.5 μL/min and 2.5 μL/min, respectively. The emulsions were characterized using a Coulter Counter (Multisizer 4, Beckman Coulter, Brea, CA, USA) with a 30 μm aperture tube. Sizing characteristics of the prepared PSEs are summarized in Table 1. The type of labeled dextrans in the W1 phase did not affect the size distribution of PSEs.
Preparation and polymerization of acoustically-responsive bioinks Acoustically-responsive bioinks were prepared by first adding sodium alginate powder (alginic acid sodium salt, CAS #9005-38-3, Sigma-Aldrich) to deionized (DI) water at 2-10% (w/v) and dissolving it overnight. Fibrinogen solutions were prepared by reconstituting bovine fibrinogen (Sigma-Aldrich) in PBS at 5-40 mg/mL clottable protein. Solutions were further supplemented with 0.05 U/mL aprotinin (Sigma-Aldrich), 100 U/mL penicillin, 100 μg/mL streptomycin, and 2.5 μg/mL amphotericin B (Life Technologies) and gently vortex mixed for 30 seconds. Fibrinogen and alginate solutions were then degassed in a vacuum chamber (at ˜6 kPa for 60 min, Isotemp vacuum oven, Model 282A, Fisher Scientific, Dubuque, IA, USA) at room temperature to minimize the amount of dissolved gas. To increase viscosity and induce a shear thinning characteristic in the bioinks, hyaluronic acid (HA, 1.5-1.8 MDa, CAS #9067-32-7, Sigma Aldrich) was dissolved in the prepared fibrinogen and alginate solutions under gentle stir mixing for an hour. For rheological analyses, bioinks were prepared with the following compositions: 5-40 mg/mL fibrinogen, 0.2-2% (w/v) HA, and 0.1-3% (v/v) PSE.
Acoustically-responsive bioinks containing PSEs with three finalized compositions were prepared as shown in Table 2. FHA was made by mixing separately prepared stock solutions of fibrinogen/HA and alginate at a volume ratio of 1:1. Each bioink is designated by its respective biopolymer and PSE (e.g., FH-C6F14). PSEs were incorporated into bioinks at 0.05% or 0.5% (v/v) by gentle stirring. For studies requiring fluorescence visualization of the matrix, 39 μg/mL Alexa Fluor 647-labeled fibrinogen (fibrinogen647, F35200, Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR, USA) and rhodamine-labeled alginate (HAworks) were added into FH and AH bioinks during preparation, respectively. For the cases where asymmetrical collapse of the ADV bubbles were studied near a rigid wall, a 10% alginate bioink was prepared (
A lower concentration of the crosslinking solution was used post-printing to allow greater diffusion of crosslinker into the bioprinted construct before the outermost layers become stiff. For ultrasound experiments, bioprinted ARSs were transferred into 6-well Bioflex plates (Flexcell International, Burlington, NC, USA). For comparison, fibrin-based ARSs of similar formulation were also prepared conventionally as described previously (M. Aliabouzar, et al., Ultrasound in medicine & biology 45(12) (2019) 3246-3260, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
Preparation of cell-laden bioinks Normal human dermal fibroblasts (Lonza, Walkersville, MD, USA) were cultured in complete media consisting of DMEM supplemented with 10% (v/v) fetal bovine serum (FBS, Corning, Glendale, AZ, USA), 100 U/mL penicillin, and 100 μg/mL streptomycin. Media was exchanged every 2-3 days and cells were harvested below 80% confluence with trypsin-EDTA (Life Technologies). Fibroblasts were added to FH bioink at 106 cell/mL. The cell-laden bioink was loaded into 3 mL syringes and bioprinted on the same day into 6-well tissue culture plates.
Rheological characterization of bioinks Flow behaviors of bioinks were characterized using an AR-G2 rheometer (TA instruments, New Castle, DE, USA) with a parallel plate geometry (measurement head diameter: 8 mm, gap height: 1000 μm, temperature: 20° C.). To minimize slippage, adhesive-back sandpaper (600 grit, McMaster-Carr) was attached to both bounding surfaces of the rheometer. Viscosity was determined as a function of increasing shear rate from 0.1 to 1000 s−1 in a stepped flow mode. The shear thinning behavior of the bioinks was characterized by fitting the linear portion of the viscosity (η) and shear rate ({dot over (γ)}) plots to the Oswald-de Waele power law equation:
where K (Pa sn) is the flow consistency index and n is the dimensionless power law index. The power law index is an important factor that characterizes flow behavior. For Newtonian fluids, n=1 and K=η, however n<1 and n>1 represent non-Newtonian shear thinning and shear thickening fluids, respectively.
Bioprinting setup and process control for acoustically-responsive bioinks CAD models were created in SolidWorks (Dassault Systémes, Waltham, MA, USA) and further processed using open-source software, Slic3r (slic3r.org). The generated G-codes and STL files were sent to the 3D bioprinter (Bio X, Cellink, USA). All samples were printed using 3 mL pneumatic printheads at room temperature. A 27-gauge needle, with an internal diameter (D) of 200 μm and length (L) of 6.35 mm, was used for all prints. Experimental as well as theoretical studies were performed to understand the interrelations between printing parameters (e.g., extrusion pressure, and printing speed), needle geometry (e.g., D and L), rheological properties of the bioink (e.g., n and K from Eq. 1), and the process-induced mechanical stresses during extrusion (e.g., shear and extensional stresses) (
Experimental and theoretical flow rate studies The optimal printing speed was determined by assuming that printing speed equals extrusion velocity. The printing speed (vp) at a given volumetric flow rate (Q) was determined using conservation of mass. Assuming negligible spreading (e.g., a cylindrical geometry), vp was calculated as:
Q was derived by weighing the mass of bioink, using a digital scale (Mettler-Toledo, USA), dispensed through the needle for 30 s for varying extrusion pressures (3-25 kPa), and then dividing by the dispensing time. The density of the bioink was assumed to be 1 g/mL. According to Eq. 2, at a critical value of vp, the diameter of the printed strand will equal the diameter of the needle. For v<vp, the layer height will be thicker than D, while for v>vp, thinner layers are printed. Based on these findings, optimal printing parameters including the extrusion pressure and printing speed were obtained for each bioink.
The experimentally measured volumetric flow rates were then compared to an analytical model for flow rate of non-Newtonian fluids using a modified Hagen-Poiseuille equation:
where Δp is the extrusion pressure.
Radial distribution of shear stress, shear rate, and residence time in the needle PSEs, which are dispersed within the bioink, experience several types of mechanical forces during the bioprinting process, including shear forces due to steady shear flow, extensional forces, and pressure drop due to the sudden geometrical transition in the flow from a syringe to a needle. Based on the principle of force balance, the bioprinting-induced shear stress (τ) distributed radially in the needle can be written as:
where r is the radial position (0≤r≤D/2) in the needle. Radial flow velocity profile (u(r)) of a non-Newtonian fluid in a cylindrical needle as a function of rheological properties as well as printing parameters can be obtained using modified Hagen-Poiseuille equation:
Bioprinting-induced shear rate ({dot over (γ)}bp) and the corresponding residence time (tres) inside the needle can be calculated from Eq. 5 as follows:
For the above calculations, several assumptions were made: i) the bioink is incompressible, ii) no slip occurs between PSEs and the wall of the needle, and iii) the pressure at the exit of the needle equals the ambient pressure. Note that the generalized Reynolds number for a power-law fluid through a cylindrical pipe for the varying printing conditions used here was <0.03, indicating a uniform laminar flow condition inside the bioprinting needle. Based on the calculated Reynolds number and the diameter of the needle, the flow became fully developed within micrometers from the needle entrance.
Shear-induced droplet deformation Droplet deformation and breakup under shear can be determined by the dimensionless capillary number representing the ratio of viscous to interfacial tension forces defined as:
where η, {dot over (γ)}, ϕ, and σ represent the viscosity of the bioink (approximated by the value of K, e.g., flow consistency index), bioprinting-induced shear rate (obtained from Eq. 6), diameter of a PSE (˜12 μm), and the interfacial tension between PSE (Pluronic copolymers: 42 mN/m (N. Y. Rapoport, et al., Bubble Sci Eng Technol 1(1-2) (2009) 31-39, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety)) and the surrounding bioink, respectively.
Assessment of print fidelity Printing fidelity was defined as the ratio of the width of the bioprinted single-layer strands with different bioinks, containing 0.5% (v/v) C6F14 PSE (Ø=6.7±0.07 μm), to the strand width in the original CAD model (strand width: 500 μm).
Ultrasound setup and parameters All ultrasound experiments were carried out in a water tank (30 cm×60 cm×30 cm) filled with degassed, DI water at 37° C. A calibrated, focused transducer (H-108, f-number=0.83, radius of curvature=50 mm, Sonic Concepts Inc., Bothell, WA, USA) was used to induce ADV within the ARSs. Pulsed waveforms (2.5 MHz, pulse duration: 5.4 μs; pulse repetition frequency: 100 Hz) were generated by a function generator (33500B, Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA, USA), amplified by a gated radiofrequency amplifier (GA-2500A Ritec Inc., Warwick, RI, USA), and monitored in real-time on an oscilloscope (HD04034, Teledyne LeCroy, Chestnut Ridge, NY, USA). The transducer was calibrated in free field at the focus using an in-house fiber optic hydrophone (sensitivity: 16.6 mV/MPa) with a fiber diameter of 105 μm. The acoustic pressure distribution at the focus of the transducer was characterized, using the hydrophone, to measure the focal width that was suprathreshold for ADV.
The transducer was connected to a three-axis positioning system controlled by MATLAB (The MathWorks, Natick, MA, USA) and localized axially with respect to the ARSs using a pulse echo technique described previously (M. Aliabouzar, et al., Ultrasonics sonochemistry 66 (2020) 105109). During ultrasound exposure, the axial focus of the transducer was positioned at mid-height in the ARSs, and then rastered at a speed of 5 mm/s with a 0.5 mm lateral spacing between raster lines. A single plane of exposure was deemed sufficient due to the axial length of the beam at full width half maximum at the focus. Ultrasound experiments were conducted at 6 MPa peak rarefactional pressure, which was suprathreshold for both ADV (2.2±0.2 MPa) and inertial cavitation (3.9±0.2 MPa) at 2.5 MHz for ARSs containing C6F14 PSE. ARSs not exposed to ultrasound served as controls.
Rheological characterization of the ARSs Dynamic rheological properties of ARSs (height: ˜1.2 mm, diameter: ˜8 mm) were measured using the AR-G2 rheometer. 3D bioprinted ARSs of different compositions contained 0.5% (v/v) C6F14 PSE (Ø=6.7±0.07 μm). For comparison, fibrin ARSs were also prepared conventionally with identical fibrinogen, thrombin, and C6F14 PSE concentrations. ARSs were subjected to sinusoidal oscillatory strains and the corresponding stress values were recorded. The rheometer stage was maintained at 37° C. Samples were indented to reach a normal force of 0.07 N (indentation: ˜200 μm) and allowed to equilibrate for 2 minutes. Oscillatory strain sweep (0.05-50%) was carried out at frequency of 1 Hz to determine the linear viscoelastic region (LVR). Within the LVR, the viscoelastic moduli, including the storage modulus (G′) as well as loss modulus (G″), are independent of applied strain or stress. The limit of LVR was represented as the critical strain where ′G reduced by 5%. Samples were then subjected to oscillatory shear at 1 Hz with a strain of 1% (based on the LVR) to determine G′ and G″.
Optical imaging and analyses Bioprinted ARSs were imaged with an epifluorescent microscope (Eclipse TiE, Nikon, Melville, NY, USA) and acquisition software (MetaMorph, Molecular Devices, San Jose, CA, USA). MATLAB and ImageJ (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA) were used for further analysis. Confocal images of ARSs were acquired in a cell chamber (Attofluor, A7816, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA) using a laser scanning confocal microscope (LSM800, Zeiss, Pleasanton, CA, USA) and ZEN lite software (Zeiss). Selected confocal images were converted to binary edge maps and transformed in Hough space to determine bioprinting-induced fiber alignment in MATLAB.
Evaluation of cell viability and morphology in conventional and bioprinted gels To assess viability, FH constructs containing fibroblasts were stained one hour after printing with 5 μM calcein AM (“Live” stain, Invitrogen) and 15 μM propidium iodide (“Dead” stain, Invitrogen). To assess cell morphology, FH constructs containing fibroblasts were cultured four days, fixed in aqueous buffered zinc formalin (Z-Fix, Anatech, Battle Creek, MI, USA), and permeabilized with 0.1% (v/v) Triton-X100 (Sigma-Aldrich) in PBS. After triplicate washings, constructs were incubated in a blocking solution containing 0.1% (v/) Tween 20 (Sigma-Aldrich), 1% (w/v) bovine serum albumin, 10% (v/v) goat serum (Life Technologies), and 0.3 M glycine (Sigma-Aldrich) in PBS. Constructs were stained overnight at 4° C. with Alex Fluor 488-labeled phalloidin (1:400 dilution A12379, Molecular Probes). The next day, constructs were washed in triplicate and stained overnight with 1 μg/mL 4,6′-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA) in PBS. After triplicate washing, constructs were imaged.
Statistical analyses Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism software (GraphPad Software, Inc., La Jolla, CA, USA). Experimental data are expressed as the mean±standard deviation. The number of independent replicates is listed in the caption for each figure. Significant differences between groups were determined using a two-tailed t-test or a one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's multiple comparisons test. A significance level of 0.05 was used.
The rheological behavior of a bioink must fulfill a number of key requirements for extrusion-based bioprinting. Bioinks with shear-thinning characteristics where apparent viscosity decreases with induced shear rate are ideal due to reduced pressures required for extrusion. Fibrinogen solution is not suitable for extrusion-based bioprinting due to its significantly low viscosity, which is comparable to water, and Newtonian behavior (
Although stiffness of fibrin-based gels correlated with fibrinogen concentration, fibrinogen concentration did not significantly impact the viscosity and shear thinning behavior of FH bioinks (
Flow behaviors of the three optimized acoustically-responsive bioinks used for bioprinting and ADV experiments (
Volumetric flow rates of the bioinks were measured to optimize printing parameters including extrusion pressure and printing speed (Eq. 2). Printing speed (
The radial distribution of shear rate in the needle significantly depended on the degree of shear thinning of the bioink (
Ca number, calculated based on the resulting shear rate and viscosity distributions, was less than 0.01 for all bioinks for the printing conditions used here. At large Ca numbers, viscous forces dominate, resulting in shape deformation from spherical to ellipsoidal and eventual breakup into smaller droplets. However, at lower Ca, surface forces dominate and maintain the droplet shape. The viscosity ratio between the dispersed phase (e.g., PSE) and continuous phase (e.g., the bioink) was <0.3. Significant droplet deformation and breakup was reported at Ca>0.35. Note that droplet deformation also increases with increasing confinement at a given Ca. Here, the ratio of the diameter of PSE to the diameter of the needle was 0.05, therefore confinement-induced deformation was negligible.
The abrupt change in the cross-sectional diameter as the bioink transitioned from the syringe to the needle (Dsyringe/D=21), resulted in a ˜441-fold increase in the linear fluid velocity. The maximum pressure drop induced at this contraction region, using the steady flow energy equation, was ˜500 Pa at bioprinting conditions used herein. Mechanical disruption of emulsions caused by this pressure drop should be minimal. Note that, using a capillary rheometer, a pressure drop of 800 Pa was measured for a 2% (w/v) alginate ink through a needle with the same diameter (e.g., 200 μm) but at a higher extrusion pressure of 50 kPa.
The print fidelity ratio, using the optimal printing parameters determined in the previous section, was 1.1±0.06 (n=3), 0.93±0.05 (n=3), and 1.0±0.02 (n=3) for FH-C6F14, FHA-C6F14, and AH-C6F14 bioinks, respectively (
Most therapeutic applications of ultrasound utilize lower frequencies, which in turn have lower axial and lateral resolutions. Beam characterization of the transducer at the focus, using the hydrophone, yielded an axial length and lateral width at full width half maximum thickness of 3.9±0.1 mm (theoretical value: 3.28 mm) and 0.7±0.1 mm (theoretical value: 0.51 mm), respectively, at 2.5 MHz. In addition, as the peak rarefactional pressure increased, the beam width at the focus that was suprathreshold for ADV also increased (
Confocal images of fibrin gels (
The length of LVR, determined by a strain sweep test, indicates the structural and mechanical stability of the material before the onset of structural breakdown. The critical strain was 1.5%, 2%, and 3.1% for the bioprinted ARSs made with FH-C6F14, AH-C6F14, and FHA-C6F14, respectively (
High cell viability was maintained in printed FH gels which was not significantly different than the conventionally seeded FH gels (
The ability to control growth and collapse of the ADV-generated bubbles in ARSs could be attractive for modulating the release kinetics or migratory permissiveness of ARSs. Stable and transient bubble formation in ARSs impacted the amount as well as the rate of payload release. Payload release rate was significantly lower in ARSs with stable ADV-bubbles. Bioprinting allows precise positioning of PSEs, and in turn ADV-bubbles, in layers of different mechanical properties and therefore imposing desired bubble dynamics and release kinetics.
Extensive experimental and numerical studies on dynamic behaviors of bubble collapse near different boundaries have been reported. Interactions between a cavitating bubble and a nearby boundary can induce asymmetrical collapse and/or microjetting, where the direction of jetting can be toward (rigid boundaries) or away (soft boundaries) from the boundary, depending on mechanical properties of the boundary, bubble size, and distance from the boundary. Asymmetrical collapse and microjet formation are significantly influenced by a dimensionless standoff parameter (H), defined as the distance between the initial location of the bubble from the boundary scaled by the maximum bubble radius, and was observed for H ranging from 0.5-3.
Here, to generate the condition for the ADV bubbles to undergo asymmetrical collapse and/or microjetting, a thin layer (˜200 μm) of FHA containing 0.05% (v/v) C6F14 PSE (Ø=15.6±0.07 μm) was bioprinted on a thin rigid alginate layer (˜200 μm). A maximum thickness of 200 μm was considered for the ARS to ensure that the generated ADV-bubbles would remain in the vicinity of the rigid wall (e.g., H<3). Elastic moduli of the rigid alginate and the FHA-C6F14 layers were 15.2±0.7 kPa and 0.78±0.18 kPa, respectively. Morphology of the ADV-generated bubbles were then compared in bioprinted FHA-C6F14 ARSs without (
Herein, an excitation frequency of 2.5 MHz and a short pulse duration (5.4 μs) were used. Acoustic parameters such as excitation frequency, pulse duration, and the driving amplitude may impact both the dynamics and resulting morphologies of the ADV-generated features.
It is understood that the foregoing detailed description and accompanying examples are merely illustrative and are not to be taken as limitations upon the scope of the disclosure, which is defined solely by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Various changes and modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.
This invention was made with government support under HL139656 awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The government has certain rights in the invention.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2022/082250 | 12/22/2022 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63292811 | Dec 2021 | US |
