Myocardial injection of thermosensitive HADOPA/Ca-FVI/Alg hydrogels improves cardiac repair after myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a common heart emergency that potentially causes death. Injectable hydrogels with excellent malleability and filling properties are suitable for myocardial injection and can avoid the need for open surgery. In this study, dopamine grafted hyaluronic acid (HADOPA) was synthesized and combined with sodium alginate (Alg) and Ca2+-loaded liposomes (Ca-FVI) to prepare a series of injectable thermosensitive sodium hyaluronate/sodium alginate hydrogels (HADOPA/Ca-FVI/Alg). At 37 °C, the HADOPA/Ca-FVI/Alg solution rapidly changed from liquid to hydrogel because of the crosslinking between sodium alginate and the Ca2+ released from Ca-FVI at a phase transition time of 100–200 s. The HADOPA/Ca-FVI/Alg scaffolds exhibited a porous 3D network structure, controlled porosity, and connected pore properties. Increasing the proportion of HADOPA increases the elasticity and absorbance of hydrogels. Experimental assessment showed that the hydrogels have good biocompatibility and that Alg1-HADOPA is more conducive to the adhesion, proliferation, and spreading of mouse cardiac myocytes while maintaining the best cell state. These findings suggest that HADOPA/Ca-FVI/Alg hydrogels improve cell proliferation and tissue repair, and that they are a promising therapeutic option for cardiac repair after MI.