Gels最新文献

{"title":"Anti-Adhesion Effects and Potential Mechanisms of Polyglutamic Acid-Polylysine Crosslinked Hydrogels in a Rat Peritoneal Adhesion Model.","authors":"Shize Wu, Zixi Zhao, Donghe Jia, Huiying Li, Yijing Huang, Qianqian Han","doi":"10.3390/gels12090857","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels12090857","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Peritoneal adhesions are a common complication following abdominal surgery. Their formation is associated with factors such as inflammatory responses, imbalance in the fibrinolytic system, and proliferation of fibrous tissue. Currently available anti-adhesion products on the market are primarily physical barrier membranes, which have limited functionality, can only serve as passive barriers, and have suboptimal handling and residence times. To address this issue, this study utilized 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS) chemical crosslinking to create polyglutamic acid-polylysine (PGA-PL) hydrogels and tested their anti-adhesion and reparative effects in a cecum-abdominal wall adhesion model in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Experimental results demonstrated that treatment with PGA-PL hydrogels significantly reduced the occurrence of adhesions, effectively decreased inflammatory cell infiltration, neovascularization, and collagen deposition, while exhibiting excellent biocompatibility. Additionally, it markedly reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory factors, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in both serum and local tissue, increased the levels of plasminogen activators, and promoted the proliferation of peritoneal mesothelial cells. PGA-PL hydrogel is a safe and effective anti-adhesion material; its efficacy not only relies on serving as a physical barrier but also actively modulates local inflammatory responses, fibrotic processes, and fibrinolytic balance, while promoting mesothelial repair.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13606458/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149059873","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hydrogel-Based Depot Systems in Psychiatric Pharmacotherapy: A Narrative Review Rethinking Long-Acting Drug Delivery.","authors":"Emilia Denisa Predoi, Anca Târtea, Oana Taisescu, Alexandra Daniela Rotaru-Zăvăleanu, Ana-Maria Ifrim-Predoi, Roxana Costina Vlad, Bogdan Cătălin, Mădălina Iuliana Mușat, Manuel-Ovidiu Amzoiu, Andrei Greșiță","doi":"10.3390/gels12090855","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels12090855","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Poor adherence to pharmacotherapy remains a major challenge in the long-term management of severe psychiatric disorders. Although long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics can provide effective and sustained drug exposure while supporting treatment continuity, their pharmaceutical and clinical characteristics vary considerably according to the active pharmaceutical ingredient and formulation technology. Specific formulations may be associated with limitations such as complex release kinetics, injection-site reactions, or the need for oral supplementation during treatment initiation. Hydrogel-based delivery systems have emerged as a versatile class of biomaterials that may address these limitations through their tunable physicochemical properties, high water content, biocompatibility, and capacity for controlled, sustained drug release. Their adaptable architecture further enables diverse drug-loading strategies and multiple routes of administration, expanding the design space for next-generation long-acting formulations. In this narrative review, we provide a comprehensive overview of hydrogel-based depot systems for psychiatric pharmacotherapy, focusing on hydrogel composition (natural, synthetic, and hybrid polymers), crosslinking mechanisms, stimuli-responsive and injectable formulations, drug loading and release strategies, and their translational potential. Current research has primarily focused on antipsychotic delivery, where hydrogel formulations of risperidone, paliperidone, aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine and the investigational peptide PAOPA show possible sustained drug release and prolonged therapeutic activity in preclinical models. Compared with conventional depot technologies, hydrogel systems may offer greater formulation flexibility and the potential for more controlled pharmacokinetic profiles and prolonged drug exposure. These characteristics could ultimately support reduced dosing frequency and treatment continuity. We also discuss the key challenges limiting clinical translation, including optimization of release kinetics, scalable manufacturing, sterilization, long-term stability, and regulatory considerations. Collectively, current evidence supports the technological potential of hydrogel-based systems to provide tunable drug loading, depot formation, and sustained release. However, their development as clinically meaningful next-generation LAI therapies will require long-term in vivo evaluation, robust pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic characterization, injection-site safety assessment, reproducible and scalable manufacturing, and well-designed clinical trials.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13606275/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149059919","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spray-Dried Chia Oil Oleogel Microcapsules from Pickering Emulsions: Wall Material Effects on Encapsulation Efficiency and In Vitro Lipid Digestion.","authors":"Eduardo Morales, Matias Leiva, Mónica Rubilar, Marcela Quilaqueo, Sonia Millao, César Burgos-Díaz, Ever Hernández-Olivas","doi":"10.3390/gels12090856","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels12090856","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The objective of this study was to develop chia oil oleogel microcapsules by spray-drying Pickering emulsions (OLG/W-E) stabilized with lupin protein aggregates (LPA), optimize spray-drying conditions, and evaluate the effect of wall composition on encapsulation efficiency (EE) and in vitro lipid digestion. Oleogels structured with beeswax (BW) and shellac wax (SW) at 2.5 and 5.0% (<i>w</i>/<i>w</i>) were characterized for oil-binding capacity (OBC) and firmness. OLG/W-E were formulated, and spray drying was optimized using a Taguchi design considering inlet air temperature (120 and 160 °C), emulsion type (OLG_SW/W-E and OLG_BW/W-E), and wall material (maltodextrin, MD, and gum arabic, GA). Increasing wax concentration to 5% enhanced OBC and firmness, while 3% LPA provided adequate stability. The optimal condition was achieved at 160 °C using a BW-structured oleogel and GA, yielding an EE of 71.3 ± 1.25%. Under optimized conditions, replacing GA with up to 1% (<i>w</i>/<i>w</i>) sodium alginate (SA) did not significantly affect moisture content, solubility, process yield, or EE (<i>p</i> > 0.05). However, SA significantly increased lipid digestion (<i>p</i> < 0.05), with FFA release increasing from 26.4 ± 3.23% for GA microcapsules to 44.8 ± 6.33% and 43.4 ± 0.30% for GA/SA-0.5% and GA/SA-1.0%, respectively. These results indicate that SA can modulate lipid digestion during gastrointestinal digestion while maintaining comparable physicochemical properties.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13606417/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149060153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Carboxyl-Functionalized Lotus Cellulose Fiber-Based Superabsorbent Hydrogel for Efficient Water and Fertilizer Management.","authors":"Jiawen Chen, Guohang Ma, Keting Chen, Tiansheng Wang, Erlei Zhang, Jianmin Li, Bao Han, Wenfeng Lu, Jichuan Zhang, Jiaheng Zhang","doi":"10.3390/gels12090854","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels12090854","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To address challenges associated with the water-food nexus under climate change and population growth, a multifunctional cellulose-based superabsorbent hydrogel (L-CF/CMCAA-1ATP) was developed by incorporating carboxyl-functionalized lotus cellulose fibers (L-CF) derived from waste lotus stems via deep eutectic solvent extraction and spray drying into a carboxymethyl cellulose/acrylic acid/attapulgite hydrogel network. Under optimized conditions, the L-CF/CMCAA-1ATP hydrogel exhibited an equilibrium swelling capacity of 1979 g/g in deionized water and retained 74.37% of absorbed water after 250 min at 75 °C. Soil application significantly improved water-holding capacity (40.11% to 56.55%) and maintained 34.41% water retention after 21 days. Additionally, cumulative nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium losses were reduced by 28.84%, 28.56%, and 42.23%, respectively, after five leaching cycles, with DFT calculations indicating that nutrient retention arises from hydrogen-bonding interactions with carboxyl, hydroxyl, and siloxane groups in the hydrogel network. Agricultural assays demonstrated enhanced maize growth, with chlorophyll content increasing by 21.56% compared with the control. Cell viability remained above 95% at all tested concentrations, confirming low cytotoxicity. These results demonstrate that the L-CF/CMCAA-1ATP superabsorbent hydrogel combines excellent water absorbency, water retention, nutrient conservation, plant growth promotion, and low in vitro cytotoxicity, highlighting its potential as a waste-valorization approach for utilizing agricultural residues and improving water and nutrient management in agriculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13606061/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149059864","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hydrogels in the Management of Peripheral Venous Disease: Bridging Material Design and Clinical Evidence.","authors":"Cristian-Adrian Silosi, Isabela Silosi, Mihai-Andrei Ruscu, Alexandra-Daniela Rotaru-Zavaleanu","doi":"10.3390/gels12090852","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels12090852","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Peripheral venous disease represents one of the most prevalent and most persistently undertreated chronic conditions in adult populations, with venous leg ulceration standing at the severe end of a spectrum that also includes symptomatic chronic venous insufficiency and superficial venous thrombosis. The venous wound microenvironment is shaped by mechanisms that are largely specific to this etiology, including ambulatory venous hypertension, erythrocyte extravasation with cutaneous iron deposition, sustained oxidative stress, proteolytic imbalance and fibroblast senescence. Hydrogels, as three-dimensional hydrophilic polymer networks with high water content, tunable mechanics and versatile payload capacity, offer an appealing platform for addressing several of these mechanisms simultaneously. The preclinical literature is correspondingly abundant. The clinical evidence base, however, remains thin and inconclusive, and the most rigorous synthesis available has been unable to establish whether hydrogel dressings outperform simpler alternatives in venous ulcer healing. This review examines that discrepancy rather than setting it aside. We summarize the physicochemical properties that determine hydrogel performance specifically under compression and in a heavily exudating wound, map hydrogel mechanisms of action onto venous pathobiology, survey therapeutic applications across the venous spectrum, including topical formulations for superficial venous thrombosis, and appraise the preclinical and clinical evidence with attention to why translation has stalled. We conclude by proposing design criteria for venous-specific hydrogel systems and methodological priorities for the trials needed to test them.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13606429/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149059922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Organic-Inorganic Hyaluronic Acid/Sumecton Nanocomposite Hydrogels for Osteogenic Applications.","authors":"Dong Kyu Kim, Geun Jin Song, Ahyoung Yoo, Hee Sook Hwang, Min Lee, Chung-Sung Lee","doi":"10.3390/gels12090851","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels12090851","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>While their biocompatibility and extracellular matrix-mimetic properties make hyaluronic acid (HA)-based hydrogels attractive biomaterials for bone regenerative applications, their limited mechanical stability and insufficient osteogenic activity restrict broader utility. Here, we present an organic-inorganic nanocomposite hydrogel integrating catechol-functionalized HA with Sumecton clay (SU) nanosheets as multifunctional inorganic junction domains. Oxidative crosslinking of dopamine-functionalized HA established the primary hydrogel network, while the resulting hybrid network exhibited injectability and structural recovery following deformation. Incorporation of 2% SU increased the compressive modulus from approximately 4.6 to 6.0 kPa and delayed hydrogel degradation, while only modestly affecting equilibrium water content. The hybrid hydrogels also exhibited antimicrobial and catechol-mediated antioxidant activities, establishing a multifunctional microenvironment suited to tissue regeneration. SU-containing hydrogels promoted the osteogenic differentiation of encapsulated stem cells, as evidenced by increased alkaline phosphatase activity and matrix mineralization. SAG was incorporated into SU with a loading efficiency of approximately 95%, and SU@SAG-containing hydrogels further enhanced osteogenic differentiation and mineralization. Gene expression analysis showed increased expression of Hedgehog-associated markers together with modulation of Wnt/β-catenin-related genes, suggesting signaling responses associated with enhanced osteogenesis. Collectively, this study demonstrates an organic-inorganic network engineering strategy to develop structurally robust and biologically functional HA-based nanocomposite hydrogels for bone regenerative applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13606673/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149060020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Thermally Triggered Self-Reinforcing Double-Network Nanocomposite Hydrogels for Fracture Sealing Under Cyclic Steam Exposure.","authors":"Guangzhi Cui, Bin Li, Linpeng Zhang, Shuchen Yan, Sibo Wang, Jinjun Huang","doi":"10.3390/gels12090853","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels12090853","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hydrogels used for fracture sealing during heavy-oil thermal recovery are repeatedly exposed to high-temperature steam, dehydration, pressure disturbance, and cooling, conditions that often lead to progressive network deterioration and loss of sealing efficiency. To address this limitation, a thermally triggered self-reinforcing covalent-physical double-network nanocomposite hydrogel was developed by combining a sparse MBAA-crosslinked P(NaAMPS-co-NVP-co-AM) covalent scaffold with a reversible Laponite-mediated physical network. The material response was systematically evaluated through cyclic hydrothermal treatment at 180 °C, while fracture-sealing and resealing performance was examined separately under steam-exposure conditions. Artifact-controlled experiments were further introduced to distinguish genuine cycle-induced reinforcement from dehydration, continued post-curing, and conventional thermal aging. The results show that the NaAMPS/NVP/AM molar ratio of 40/20/40 with 1.00 wt% Laponite provided a suitable balance between precursor processability, hydrothermal stability, and mature network stiffness. After five thermal cycles at 180 °C, the storage modulus of the Lap-DN hydrogel increased from 74.4 to 89.1 kPa, while the compressive stress at 50% strain increased from 0.641 to 0.842 MPa, corresponding to reinforcement ratios of 1.198 and 1.314, respectively. Meanwhile, the mean equivalent pore diameter decreased from 6.2 to 4.8 μm, indicating progressive refinement of the load-bearing network. The hydrogel retained 76.3% of its initial water and 81.6% of its initial volume after five cycles in the reference brine and preserved a cycle-5 modulus retention of 101.3% even at 150,000 mg/L salinity. In fracture-sealing tests, Lap-DN sustained a breakthrough pressure of 3.47 MPa and reduced fracture conductivity by 92.4% in a 1.60 mm fracture. More importantly, the same sealing body maintained a breakthrough pressure of 4.55 MPa after five steam impact-recovery cycles in a 1.20 mm fracture, corresponding to 106.1% of the first-cycle value, while 95.0% of the pre-breakthrough pressure resistance was restored within 30 min of cooling. These results are consistent with a cycle-induced reorganization of the Laponite-mediated physical constraints within the permanent covalent scaffold, although the transient dissociation and reassociation of individual polymer-Laponite junctions were not directly observed. Within this evidence-based interpretation, cyclic thermal perturbation is associated with mechanical reinforcement and repeated fracture resealing rather than acting solely as a damaging factor. This work provides a materials-design strategy for hydrogel sealing systems operating under cyclic steam and high-salinity conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13606844/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149059782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Construction of AMPS/ODMA-Modified Silica Composite Gel System and Its Applicability Evaluation in High-Temperature and High-Salinity Reservoirs.","authors":"Yang Zhao, Penghui Dai, Xingwang Wang, Yuhao Li, Jingchun Wu, Zhihua Guo, Chengke Ren","doi":"10.3390/gels12090849","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels12090849","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In high-temperature and high-salinity reservoirs, HPAM is prone to thermal degradation, salt-induced chain shrinkage and shear instability, which weakens its mobility-control ability. In view of the above problems, this paper prepared bifunctional modified nano-SiO₂ (KH570@SiO₂-AMPS/ODMA, DF-SiO₂), and constructed a composite gel system with HPAM. Its performance was evaluated by structural and rheological characterization, aging and shear recovery, and heterogeneous core displacement. At 90 °C and about 20,000 mg/L salinity, the viscosity retention rate exceeded 70% after 90 days of aging, and recovered to 94.6% of the initial value after 72 h of standing following shearing. Core displacement shows that the system can improve the flow distribution of heterogeneous reservoirs, and the recovery of high and low permeability layers is 6.95 and 4.41 percentage points higher than that of HPAM, respectively. DF-SiO₂ constructs a dynamic network through interfacial interaction and hydrophobic association to improve the stability and structural recovery ability of the system, which provides a new idea for the application of high-temperature and high-salinity heterogeneous reservoirs.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13606354/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149059946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enzyme-Instructed Self-Assembling Peptide Hydrogels for Sustained Subconjunctival Delivery of Dexamethasone: A Stereochemical Comparison of L- and D-Enantiomeric Peptides for Postoperative Ocular Anti-Inflammatory Therapy.","authors":"Shubhamkumar M Baviskar, Deepakkumar Mishra, Lalitkumar Vora, Garry Laverty, Sreekanth Pentlavalli, Raghu Raj Singh Thakur","doi":"10.3390/gels12090850","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels12090850","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sustained postoperative anti-inflammatory therapy following intraocular surgery remains an unmet clinical need, as conventional topical corticosteroid eye drops suffer from poor bioavailability, patient non-compliance, and an inability to maintain therapeutic drug levels over the multi-week inflammatory resolution period. Here we report the development and characterization of alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-responsive enzyme-instructed self-assembling (EISA) peptide hydrogels based on the ultrashort amphiphilic sequence NapFFKY(p)-OH, covalently conjugated with dexamethasone (DEX) via an ester-cleavable succinyl linker, in both L- and D-enantiomeric forms, as injectable platforms for subconjunctival drug delivery. Both conjugates, L-NapFFK(DEX)Y(p)-OH and D-NapFFK(DEX)Y(p)-OH, were synthesized with chemical purity (87.3% and 89.8%, respectively) and theoretical DEX loading of 29.58% &lt;i&gt;w&lt;/i&gt;/&lt;i&gt;w&lt;/i&gt;. ALP-triggered gelation was confirmed for both enantiomeric gels at 2% &lt;i&gt;w&lt;/i&gt;/&lt;i&gt;v&lt;/i&gt;, with rheological characterization of the platform establishing a storage modulus plateau of approximately 294 Pa, a G'/G″ ratio of ~10:1, and gel failure at approximately 578% shear strain. Transmission electron microscopy revealed stereochemistry-dependent differences in nanofiber network architecture, with the D-enantiomer forming a comparatively looser, more porous fibrillar matrix than its L-counterpart. In vitro DEX release over 28 days demonstrated that covalent conjugation eliminates the burst release associated with physical drug entrapment (41.1% for the L physical mixture versus 14.2% and 8.3% for L- and D-conjugated systems, respectively, at 2% &lt;i&gt;w&lt;/i&gt;/&lt;i&gt;v&lt;/i&gt;), while D-amino acid stereochemistry provides an additional level of sustained release restraint. Proteinase K stability studies confirmed the exceptional proteolytic resistance of the D-enantiomer, retaining 92.6 ± 2.2% of intact peptide at 6 h compared with 25.3 ± 0.8% for the L-enantiomer. Ex vivo scleral permeation studies demonstrated a trend towards greater cumulative DEX permeation (10.6 vs. 6.7 µg) and tissue retention (5.6 vs. 3.2 µg) for the D vs. L-formulation over 24 h. Both formulations exhibited injection forces within acceptable limits for a 30-gauge needle for ophthalmic administration, with the D-enantiomer requiring lower force than its L-counterpart. Cell viability of Dex-conjugated peptide sequence demonstrated non toxic in ARPE-19 human retinal pigment epithelial cells across all conditions tested, confirming biocompatibility. These findings establish the backbone stereochemistry independently controls network mechanics, proteolytic stability, and drug release rate in ALP-responsive EISA hydrogels. Cumulative release over 28 days remains below that required to cover a 4-6-week postoperative course, and this work is therefore presented as a mechanistic proof-of-concept defining design principles for the platform rather than a clinically optimized formulation. Drug loading,","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13606598/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149059905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interfacial Redox Regulation of γ-Al₂O₃-Supported MnFe₂O₄ for Oxidative Chain Scission in Concentrated Poly(vinyl alcohol) Gel-Forming Networks.","authors":"Zhong Pan, Qilong Sun, Xiuyu Shen, Yanyan Li, Xiaoyun Long, Shuang Zhai","doi":"10.3390/gels12090848","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels12090848","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Concentrated poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) gel-forming networks are characterized by extensive hydrogen bonding, pronounced chain entanglement, and restricted molecular diffusion, which collectively limit oxidant accessibility and impede efficient oxidative transformation. Herein, a γ-Al₂O₃-supported MnFe₂O₄ catalyst (FMA) was developed to regulate interfacial redox properties and enhance H₂O₂ activation, thereby promoting oxidative chain scission of concentrated PVA gel-forming networks. The γ-Al₂O₃ support effectively suppressed MnFe₂O₄ aggregation, leading to enhanced specific surface area and increased exposure of accessible Fe/Mn active sites. Under optimized conditions, the FMA/H₂O₂ system achieved approximately 90% PVA conversion within 120 min, together with 89.2% TOC removal and a decrease in molecular weight from 68,892 to 2063 Da, demonstrating efficient oxidative chain scission and deep mineralization. Mechanistic investigations using XPS, EPR, and radical-quenching experiments revealed that synergistic Fe/Mn redox cycling promoted H₂O₂ activation and hydroxyl radical generation, which dominated PVA chain cleavage. The catalyst exhibited excellent stability with limited metal leaching during repeated cycles. This work demonstrates that γ-Al₂O₃-mediated interfacial regulation provides an effective strategy for designing supported metal oxide catalysts toward controlled transformation of highly entangled gel-related polymer networks, providing insights into the oxidative deconstruction of PVA-based gel and hydrogel systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13606589/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149059876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}