Development of Artificially-Synthesized Biodegradable Hydrogel for Cell-Based Therapy of Parkinson's disease

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17KK0130
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
• Research Institution: University of Toyama
• Principal Investigator: Nakaji-Hirabayashi Tadashi 富山大学, 大学院理工学研究部(工学), 准教授 (10543217)
• Research Collaborator: Thissen Helmut オーストラリア連邦科学技術産業研究機構(CSIRO) Manufacturing, Department for Biomaterial Interface Science, Project Leader ; Forsythe John モナッシュ大学, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Associate Professor
• Project Period (FY): 2017 – 2018
• Keywords: パーキンソン病 / 生体高分子 / インジェクタブルゲル / 合成型ゲル / チキソトロピー特性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this project, I tried to develop a novel hydrogel using synthetic polymer based on the previous research about the development of injectable hydrogel (Young scientist research grant of JSPS, 15H05353). However, synthetic polymer-based hydrogel had the cytotoxicity and non-biodegradability in medium and aqueous solution containing specific enzyme. By the discussion with collaborators, Dr Thissen and Prof. Forsythe, I slightly changed the plan from using completely synthetic polymers to using semi-synthetic biopolymers. As the biopolymers, I chose a hyaluronic acid (HA) and denatured atelocollagen (gelatin, gela). And hyaluronic acid-binding peptides (HBP) were introduced to gela. Hydrogel constructed by mixing with HA and HBP-gela had a tixotropic property and the ability of reversible sol-gel transition at room temperature. Additionally, the viability of neural progenitor in this hydrogel were extremely high compared with that in control hydrogel.

Free Research Field

バイオマテリアル科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究課題で開発したゲル素材は，パーキンソン病やその他難治疾患治療のための細胞移植医療において，強力な武器となる補助材料になると強く期待されるとともに，バイオマテリアル開発のコンセプトとして新たな選択肢を提供することにつながると考えられる。本研究開発は，社会的に貢献することに加え，学術的な発展にも寄与できるものと期待される。