Robust Injectable Hydrogels for Hemophilic Arthropathy via Anti-Inflammation, Iron Removal and Cartilage Protection

Abstract

Hemophilic arthropathy (HA), a form of arthritis associated with joint bleeding, presents extra challenges in treatment due to intermittent bleeding-induced iron-overloading, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Conventional therapeutic approaches have predominantly concentrated on achieving hemostasis and reducing inflammation, yet they have fallen short in effectively managing iron overload and safeguarding cartilage, resulting in less-than-ideal therapeutic outcomes. To address these issues, a series of injectable hydrogels is facilely fabricated via a one-step assembly of polyphenols, iron chelators, and lipoic acid. In vitro investigations demonstrate that the resulting hydrogels not only have good performances in antioxidation and anti-inflammation, but also exhibit promising prospects in iron removal, adhesion resistance, and wear resistance. Moreover, in vivo studies are further carried out to indicate the diminished inflammatory response, ameliorative iron-overload-related lesion indicators, and cartilage preservation. This class of robust and multifunctional injectable hydrogels composed of clinically available drugs along with commonly used and commercial ingredients would offer new opportunities toward the efficient treatment of HA.