Design and Evaluation of a Crosslinked Chitosan-Based Scaffold Containing Hyaluronic Acid for Articular Cartilage Reconstruction
Polymeric scaffolds are promising in tissue engineering due to their structural similarity to extracellular matrix components. This study aimed to design freeze-dried hydrogels based on chitosan (CHT) and hyaluronic acid (HA). Chitosan-based gels were crosslinked with oxidized maltodextrin (MDo) bef...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Salim Hamidi Mickael Maton Feng Hildebrand Valérie Gaucher Cédric Bossard Frédéric Cazaux Jean Noel Staelens Nicolas Blanchemain Bernard Martel |
| author_facet | Salim Hamidi Mickael Maton Feng Hildebrand Valérie Gaucher Cédric Bossard Frédéric Cazaux Jean Noel Staelens Nicolas Blanchemain Bernard Martel |
| author_sort | Salim Hamidi |
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| description | Polymeric scaffolds are promising in tissue engineering due to their structural similarity to extracellular matrix components. This study aimed to design freeze-dried hydrogels based on chitosan (CHT) and hyaluronic acid (HA). Chitosan-based gels were crosslinked with oxidized maltodextrin (MDo) before the freeze-drying step, resulting in spongy porous scaffolds. Based on the state-of-the-art, our hypothesis was that crosslinking would increase scaffold stiffness and delay the degradation of the CHT:HA resorbable scaffolds swelled in a hydrated physiological environment. The physicochemical and mechanical properties of crosslinked CHT- and CHT:HA-based scaffolds were analyzed. Hygroscopic and swelling behavior were assessed using dynamic vapor sorption analysis and batch studies. Degradation was evaluated under different conditions, including in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), PBS with lysozyme, and lactic acid solutions, to investigate scaffold resistance against enzymatic and acidic degradation. The porosity of the spongy materials was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, while dynamic mechanical analysis provided information on the mechanical properties. Crosslinked scaffolds showed reduced swelling, slower degradation rates, and increased stiffness, confirming MDo as an effective crosslinking agent. Scaffolds loaded with ciprofloxacin (CFX) demonstrated their ability to deliver therapeutic agents, as the CFX loading capacity was promoted by CHT–CFX interactions. Microbiologic investigation confirmed the results. Finally, cytotoxicity tests displayed no toxicity. In conclusion, MDo-crosslinked CHT and CHT:HA scaffolds exhibit enhanced stability, functionality, and mechanical performance, making them promising for cartilage tissue engineering. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
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| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj-art-2f0231de38324aba824fa80b10fcb9d92025-08-20T03:47:58ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-05-013010220210.3390/molecules30102202Design and Evaluation of a Crosslinked Chitosan-Based Scaffold Containing Hyaluronic Acid for Articular Cartilage ReconstructionSalim Hamidi0Mickael Maton1Feng Hildebrand2Valérie Gaucher3Cédric Bossard4Frédéric Cazaux5Jean Noel Staelens6Nicolas Blanchemain7Bernard Martel8Univ. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, U1008-Advanced Drug Delivery Systems and Biomaterials, F-59000 Lille, FranceUniv. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, U1008-Advanced Drug Delivery Systems and Biomaterials, F-59000 Lille, FranceUniv. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, U1008-Advanced Drug Delivery Systems and Biomaterials, F-59000 Lille, FranceUniv. Lille, CNRS, INRAE, Centrale Lille, UMR 8207—UMET—Unité Matériaux et Transformations, F-59000 Lille, FranceUniv. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, U1008-Advanced Drug Delivery Systems and Biomaterials, F-59000 Lille, FranceUniv. Lille, CNRS, INRAE, Centrale Lille, UMR 8207—UMET—Unité Matériaux et Transformations, F-59000 Lille, FranceUniv. Lille, CNRS, INRAE, Centrale Lille, UMR 8207—UMET—Unité Matériaux et Transformations, F-59000 Lille, FranceUniv. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, U1008-Advanced Drug Delivery Systems and Biomaterials, F-59000 Lille, FranceUniv. Lille, CNRS, INRAE, Centrale Lille, UMR 8207—UMET—Unité Matériaux et Transformations, F-59000 Lille, FrancePolymeric scaffolds are promising in tissue engineering due to their structural similarity to extracellular matrix components. This study aimed to design freeze-dried hydrogels based on chitosan (CHT) and hyaluronic acid (HA). Chitosan-based gels were crosslinked with oxidized maltodextrin (MDo) before the freeze-drying step, resulting in spongy porous scaffolds. Based on the state-of-the-art, our hypothesis was that crosslinking would increase scaffold stiffness and delay the degradation of the CHT:HA resorbable scaffolds swelled in a hydrated physiological environment. The physicochemical and mechanical properties of crosslinked CHT- and CHT:HA-based scaffolds were analyzed. Hygroscopic and swelling behavior were assessed using dynamic vapor sorption analysis and batch studies. Degradation was evaluated under different conditions, including in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), PBS with lysozyme, and lactic acid solutions, to investigate scaffold resistance against enzymatic and acidic degradation. The porosity of the spongy materials was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, while dynamic mechanical analysis provided information on the mechanical properties. Crosslinked scaffolds showed reduced swelling, slower degradation rates, and increased stiffness, confirming MDo as an effective crosslinking agent. Scaffolds loaded with ciprofloxacin (CFX) demonstrated their ability to deliver therapeutic agents, as the CFX loading capacity was promoted by CHT–CFX interactions. Microbiologic investigation confirmed the results. Finally, cytotoxicity tests displayed no toxicity. In conclusion, MDo-crosslinked CHT and CHT:HA scaffolds exhibit enhanced stability, functionality, and mechanical performance, making them promising for cartilage tissue engineering.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/10/2202polymeric scaffoldschitosanhyaluronic acidcrosslinking hydrogelscartilage tissue engineeringporous morphology |
| spellingShingle | Salim Hamidi Mickael Maton Feng Hildebrand Valérie Gaucher Cédric Bossard Frédéric Cazaux Jean Noel Staelens Nicolas Blanchemain Bernard Martel Design and Evaluation of a Crosslinked Chitosan-Based Scaffold Containing Hyaluronic Acid for Articular Cartilage Reconstruction Molecules polymeric scaffolds chitosan hyaluronic acid crosslinking hydrogels cartilage tissue engineering porous morphology |
| title | Design and Evaluation of a Crosslinked Chitosan-Based Scaffold Containing Hyaluronic Acid for Articular Cartilage Reconstruction |
| title_full | Design and Evaluation of a Crosslinked Chitosan-Based Scaffold Containing Hyaluronic Acid for Articular Cartilage Reconstruction |
| title_fullStr | Design and Evaluation of a Crosslinked Chitosan-Based Scaffold Containing Hyaluronic Acid for Articular Cartilage Reconstruction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Design and Evaluation of a Crosslinked Chitosan-Based Scaffold Containing Hyaluronic Acid for Articular Cartilage Reconstruction |
| title_short | Design and Evaluation of a Crosslinked Chitosan-Based Scaffold Containing Hyaluronic Acid for Articular Cartilage Reconstruction |
| title_sort | design and evaluation of a crosslinked chitosan based scaffold containing hyaluronic acid for articular cartilage reconstruction |
| topic | polymeric scaffolds chitosan hyaluronic acid crosslinking hydrogels cartilage tissue engineering porous morphology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/10/2202 |
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