Plant Protein‐Peptide Supramolecular Polymers with Reliable Tissue Adhesion for Surgical Sealing

Abstract

AbstractThe fusion of protein science and peptide science opens up new frontiers in creating innovative biomaterials. Herein, a new kind of adhesive soft materials based on a natural occurring plant protein and short peptides via a simple co‐assembly route are explored. The hydrophobic zein is supercharged by sodium dodecyl sulfate to form a stable protein colloid, which is intended to interact with charge‐complementary short peptides via multivalent ionic and hydrogen bonds, forming adhesive materials at macroscopic level. The adhesion performance of the resulting soft materials can be fine‐manipulated by customizing the peptide sequences. The adhesive materials can resist over 78 cmH2O of bursting pressure, which is high enough to meet the sealing requirements of dural defect. Dural sealing and repairing capability of the protein‐peptide biomaterials are further identified in rat and rabbit models. In vitro and in vivo assays demonstrate that the protein‐peptide adhesive shows excellent anti‐swelling property, low cell cytotoxicity, hemocompatibility, and inflammation response. In particular, the protein‐peptide supramolecular biomaterials can in vivo dissociate and degrade within two weeks, which can well match with the time‐window of the dural repairing. This work underscores the versatility and availability of the supramolecular toolbox in the easy‐to‐implement fabrication of protein‐peptide biomaterials.