MORE | Fall 2024

Delivery of Alpha-Ketoglutarate from Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels for Bone Repair Applications

Currently, autograft and allograft bones are the gold standard for treating bone loss, however, they pose many limitations. Immunomodulatory alpha-ketoglutarate (aKG) has the ability to enhance osteoblasts and inhibit osteoclast activity, benefitting bone repair. By generating polymeric microparticles with aKG (paKG MPs), aKG release can be controlled and sustained over time via microparticle degradation. Maleimide-functionalized hyaluronic acid (MaHA) hydrogels were used as a delivery mechanism for the MPs. MaHA was synthesized and hydrogels underwent compression testing with PaKG addition to ensure crosslinking. The in vitro effects of paKG were also evaluated using human mesenchymal stem cells in osteogenic media.