Engineered horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed hydrogels with high tissue adhesiveness for biomedical applications

Abstract

Adhesive hydrogels offer considerable potential in biomedical applications because of the excellent integration between materials and tissues. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-catalyzed hydrogelation, with advantages that include ease of handling, simplicity in material design, high biocompatibility, and processability, is becoming a promising candidate to be engineered as an adhesive hydrogel. This review summarizes recent development of HRP-mediated hydrogelation towards the bioadhesive field, and other applications requiring the tissue adhesion of hydrogels. From the viewpoint of adhesive hydrogel designation, the basic chemistry of the adhesive mechanism, combinations of interactions, and currently commercial bioglues are summarized. The review recapitulated the adhesive hydrogel applications, the clinical translation ability, the controlling hydrogelation kinetics, the related physicochemical characteristics, cytotoxicity, and animal studies. Looking to the future, to make more substantial contributions to the bioadhesive field, or to various biomedical applications, higher adhesion should be continuously improved, and greater emphasis should be placed on clinical trials.