Poly(N-acryloylglycine-acrylamide) Hydrogel Mimics the Cellular Microenvironment and Promotes Neurite Growth with Protection from Oxidative Stress

In this work, the glycine-based acryloyl monomer is polymerized to obtain a neurogenic polymeric hydrogel for regenerative applications. The synthesized poly(N-acryloylglycine-acrylamide) [poly(NAG-b-A)] nanohydrogel exhibits high swelling (∼1500%) and is mechanically very stable, biocompatible, and proliferative in nature. The poly(NAG-b-A) nanohydrogel provides a stable 3D extracellular mimetic environment and promotes healthy neurite growth for primary cortical neurons by facilitating cellular adhesion, proliferation, actin filament stabilization, and neuronal differentiation. Furthermore, the protective role of the poly(NAG-b-A) hydrogel for the neurons in oxidative stress conditions is revealed and it is found that it is a clinically relevant material for neuronal regenerative applications, such as for promoting nerve regeneration via GSK3β inhibition. This hydrogel additionally plays an important role in modulating the biological microenvironment, either as an agonist and antagonist or as an antioxidant. Furthermore, it favors the physiological responses and eases the neurite growth efficiency. Additionally, we found out that the conversion of glycine-based acryloyl monomers into their corresponding polymer modulates the mechanical performance, mimics the cellular microenvironment, and accelerates the self-healing capability due to the responsive behavior towards reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thus, the p(NAG-b-A) hydrogel could be a potential candidate to induce neuronal regeneration since it provides a physical cue and significantly boosts neurite outgrowth and also maintains the microtubule integrity in neuronal cells.