DELIVERY OF HYDROGELS AS SPRAYS
A method for delivering β-sheet peptide hydrogels to a target surface by shear-thinning and spraying the peptide hydrogel on the surface is provided. The β-sheet peptide hydrogels can be applied over a range of thicknesses and can cover broad surface areas. The β-sheet peptide hydrogels may also include a therapeutic agent.
1 . A method of delivering a preformed β-sheet peptide hydrogel to a target site, the method comprising shearing the hydrogel and spraying the sheared hydrogel onto the target site.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the β-sheet peptide hydrogel comprises β-hairpin peptides.
3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the hydrogel comprises peptides selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1-69.
4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the hydrogel comprises a therapeutic agent.
5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of analgesics, antibiotics, antineoplastics, hemostatic agents, anticoagulants, cytokines, growth factors, anti-inflammatories, cells, small molecules, nucleotides, proteins and peptides.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target site is a surface for cell-culture or tissue-culture.
7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the surface is glass or plastic.
8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the hydrogel comprises peptides selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1-69.
9 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the hydrogel comprises a therapeutic agent.
10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of analgesics, antibiotics, antineoplastics, hemostatic agents, anticoagulants, cytokines, growth factors, anti-inflammatories, cells, small molecules, nucleotides, proteins and peptides.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target site is a biological tissue.
12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the hydrogel comprises peptides selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1-69.
13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the hydrogel comprises a therapeutic agent.
14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the therapeutic agent is selected from a group consisting of analgesics, antibiotics, antineoplastics, hemostatic agents, anticoagulants, cytokines, growth factors, anti-inflammatories, cells, small molecules, nucleotides, proteins and peptides.
15 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the tissue is human tissue.
16 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the tissue is liver, lung or heart tissue.
17 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the tissue is wound tissue.
18 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel comprises the peptide of SEQ ID NO:21.
19 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the hydrogel comprises the peptide of SEQ ID NO:21.
20 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the hydrogel comprises the peptide of SEQ ID NO:21.
21 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein shearing the hydrogel and spraying the sheared hydrogel onto the target site are substantially simultaneous.
22 . A method of delivering a preformed β-sheet peptide hydrogel to a target site, the method comprising shearing the hydrogel and spraying the sheared hydrogel onto the target site, wherein the sprayed hydrogel remains localized at the target site and retains the β-sheet structure.