METHOD AND MATERIAL FOR DIFFERENTIATED SEQUESTRATION OF SUBSTANCES OF DIFFERENT SUBSTANCE GROUPS WITH THE AID OF HYDROGELS CONTAINING SULPHATED OR SULPHONATED COMPONENTS

Abstract

A method is disclosed for the differentiated sequestration of substances of different substance groups A and B in a sulfated and/or sulfonated hydrogel while simultaneously releasing substances of substance group A or B from the sulfated and/or sulfonated hydrogel into the biofluid. The sulfated and/or sulfonated hydrogel is selected from a group of hydrogels of Type 1, 2, 3, 4 and consist of uncharged and charged components. The charged components are characterized by calculating the number of sulfated or sulfonated groups per repeat unit divided by the molecular mass of the repeat unit, for each of Type 1 2 3 and 4. The swollen hydrogels have a concentration of sulfated or sulfonated groups in mmol/ml for Type 1, Type 2, Type 3 and Type 4. The concentration of substances of each substance group A and group B in the biofluid is influenced by the selection of the type of hydrogel.

Claims

1.-37. (canceled)

38. A method for differentiated sequestration of substances of different substance groups in a sulfated and/or sulfonated hydrogel comprising: sequestration of substances of groups A and B and depletion of substances of a group A from a biofluid with simultaneous differentiated release of substances of group A or B from the sulfated and/or sulfonated hydrogel into the biofluid or the reduced binding of substances of group B in the sulfated and/or sulfonated hydrogel, wherein the sulfated and/or sulfonated hydrogel include type 1, type 2, type 3 and type 4 hydrogels and the hydrogels are composed of uncharged building blocks (UGB) and charged building blocks (GB), calculating a parameter of the charged building blocks from the number of sulfate and/or sulfonate groups per repeat unit divided by the molar mass of the repeat unit of 0.0040-0.0060 mole/g for type 1, of 0.0025-0.0040 mole/g for type 2, of 0.0005-0.0025 mole/g for type 3, and of 0040 to 0.0100 mole/g for type 4, wherein swollen hydrogels have a storage module of less than 20 kPa and the swollen hydrogels have a concentration of sulfate or sulfonate groups in mmole/ml between 0.09 to 0.20 in type 1, between 0.05 to 0.18 for type 2, between 0.01 to 0.12 for type 3, and between 0.16 to 0.8 for type 4, selecting the type of hydrogel which influences the concentration of substances of group A and of substances of group B in the biofluid.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the charged building blocks (GB) of the hydrogels have a number of sulfate and/or sulfonate groups per repeat unit divided by the molar mass of the repeat unit of 0.0050 mole/g for type 1, of 0.0035 mole/g or 0.0038 mole/g for Type 2, of 0.0019 mole/g for type 3, and of 0.0045 mole/g for type 4, and wherein the properties of the swollen hydrogels have a concentration of sulfate or sulfonate in mmole/ml of 0.12 for type 1 and of 0.12 or 0.14 for type 2 and of 0.06 for type 3 and of 0.28 or 0.16 for type 4.

40. A method for the differentiated sequestration of substances of different groups A and B in a sulfated and/or sulfonated hydrogel and depletion of substances of group A from a biofluid with simultaneous differentiated release of substances of group B from the sulfated and/or sulfonated hydrogel into the biofluid or a reduced binding of substances of group B in the sulfated and/or sulfonated hydrogel wherein the sulfated and/or sulfonated hydrogel is selected from the group consisting of type 1, type 2, type 3 and type 4 hydrogels composed of uncharged building blocks (UGB) and charged building blocks (GB) comprising: the charged building blocks having a concentration of mole sulfate or sulfonate groups per mole of polymer of 60 to 80 in type 1, of 30 to 75 in type 2, of 10 to 30 in type 3 and of 80 to 120 in type 4, wherein the charged building blocks in the hydrogel have a concentration GB in mmole/ml of 0.0015 to 0.0025 in type 1, of 0.0015 to 0.0030 in type 2, of 0.0010 to 0.0040 in type 3, and of 0.0018 to 0.0050 in type 4, and wherein the swollen hydrogels have a storage modulus less than 20 kPa, with the concentration of the sulfate or sulfonate groups in mmole per ml in the hydrogel of type 1 between 0.09 and 0.20, in type 2 between 0.05 and 0.18, in type 3 between 0.01 and 0.12 and in type 4 between 0.16 and 0.80, and wherein the choice of the hydrogel type influences the concentration of substances of group A and substances of group B in the biofluid.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the charged building blocks have a concentration of mole sulfate or sulfonate groups per mole of polymer of 70.2 in type 1 and of 48.4 or 75.0 in type 2 and of 23.4 in type 3 and of 90.0 in type 4, wherein the charged building blocks in the hydrogel have a concentration GB in mmole/ml of 0.0018 for type 1, of 0.0025 or 0.0018 for type 2, of 0.0027 for type 3, and of 0.0031 or 0.0018 for type 4, and the swollen hydrogels have a storage modulus of less than 20 kPa, with the concentration of sulfate or sulfonate groups in mmole per ml in the hydrogel being 0.12 for type 1, 0.12 or 0.14 for type 2, 0.06 for type 3 and 0.28 or 0.16 for type 4.

42. The method according to claim 38, further comprising crosslinking the building blocks forming the hydrogel by reacting suitable functional groups on the GB and/or UGB selected from the group consisting of amines, thiols, carboxyls, anhydrides, maleimides, vinylsulfones, acrylates, hydroxyls, isocyanates, epoxides and aldehydes, and groups capable of forming noncovalent bonds based on electrostatic forces, hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonds or dipole interactions.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the crosslinking of the charged building blocks forming the hydrogel takes place via direct crosslinking by way of a small bifunctional crosslinking molecule having a molar mass UGB<500 g/mole.

44. The method according to claim 42, wherein the GB of the linking groups are selected from the group consisting of sulfated glycosaminoglycans obtained from natural sources, such as heparin and selective desulfated heparins, chondroitin sulfate, heparan sulfate, keratan sulfate, sulfated hyaluronic acid, as well as sulfated glycopolymers based on mannose, lactose, dextran and polysulfonated compounds which carry styrenesulfonic acid (SS), vinylsulfonic acid (VS), 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), aminopropanesulfonic acid (APS) or anetholesulfonic acid (AS) as sulfur-containing monomers, and also in copolymers with units containing the aforementioned linking groups are selected as charged building blocks, and wherein the UGB are selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycols, poly (2-oxazolines), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohols (PVA), and polyacrylamides (PAM) or a short bifunctional crosslinker molecule.

45. The method according to claim 38, wherein the substances of group A for type 1 hydrogels comprise at least one of the group consisting of bNGF, PDGF-BB, VEGF-A, eotaxin, GRO-alpha, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, Rantes, SDF1-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-12p40, IL-4, sclerostin and DKK1, and being depleted to more than 50% of an initial concentration of solution from the biofluid and sequestered in the hydrogel.

46. The method according to claim 38, wherein in hydrogels of type 1 at least one of the substances selected from the group consisting of FGF-2, TGFb1, EGF, HGF, PLGF, GM-CSF, IL-1 beta, IL-10, IL-6 and/or TNF-alpha is a substance of group B, wherein the substances are bound only up to 50% of the initial concentration of the solution in the hydrogel or released therefrom.

47. The method according to claim 38, wherein in hydrogels of type 2 at least one of the substances selected from the group consisting of bNGF, PDGF-BB, VEGF-A, eotaxin, GRO-alpha, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, Rantes, SDF1-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-12p40, IL-4 and DKK1 is of group A, with the substances being depleted to more than 50% of the initial concentration of the solution from the biofluid and sequestered in the hydrogel.

48. The method according to claim 38, wherein in hydrogels of type 2 at least one of the substances selected from the group consisting of FGF-2, TGFb1, EGF, HGF, PLGF, GM-CSF, IL-1 beta, IL-10, IL-6, TNF-alpha and sclerostin is from group B, wherein the substances are bound only up to 50% of the initial concentration of the solution in the hydrogel or released therefrom.

49. The method according to claim 38, wherein in hydrogels of type 3 at least one of the substances bNGF, PDGF-BB, VEGF-A, eotaxin, GRO-alpha, IP-10, Rantes, SDF1-alpha, IFN-gam ma and/or IL-4 is selected as substance of substance group A, with the substances being depleted to more than 50% of the initial concentration of the solution from the biofluid and sequestered in the hydrogel.

50. The method according to claim 38, wherein in hydrogels of type 3 at least one of the substances selected from the group consisting of FGF-2, TGFb1, EGF, HGF, PLGF, IL-8, MCP-1, MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, GM-CSF, IL-1 beta, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-6, TNF-alpha, sclerostin and DKK1 is selected from group B, wherein the substances are bound only up to 50% of the initial concentration of the solution in the hydrogel or released therefrom.

51. The method according to claim 38, wherein in hydrogels of type 4 at least one of the substances selected from the group consisting of bNGF, PDGF-BB, VEGF-A, eotaxin, GRO-alpha, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, Rantes, SDF1-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-1 beta, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-4, IL-6, and TNF-alpha is from group A, with the substances being depleted to more than 60% of the initial concentration of the solution from the biofluid and sequestered in the hydrogel.

52. The method according to claim 38, wherein in hydrogels of type 4 at least one of the substances selected from the group consisting of EGF, PLGF and GM-CSF is from group B, wherein the substances are bound only up to 40% of the initial concentration of the solution in the hydrogel or released therefrom.

53. The method according to claim 38, wherein hydrogels of type 1, type 2, type 3 or type 4 are precharged with at least one substance of group A and/or B in high concentration, whereafter these substances are released from the hydrogel in parallel and independently to change the concentration in the biofluid.

54. The method according to claim 38, wherein the hydrogels are formed from multiphase materials, that are mixtures of types 1-4 of the hydrogel materials.

55. The method according to claim 38, wherein the hydrogels are formed from multiphase materials, that are mixtures of types 1-4 of the hydrogel materials.

56. A covalently crosslinked hydrogel composition comprising charged building blocks in the form of poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) and uncharged building blocks in the form of polymers or crosslinking molecules with at least two amino groups or thiol groups, wherein the charged and uncharged building blocks are crosslinked to a polymer network of activated carboxyl groups of the poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) with EDC/sulfo-NHS and crosslinked directly with polymers containing the amino groups or with crosslinker molecules having the at least two amino group in each case under amide formation or functionalization of the activated carboxyl groups by means of bifunctional crosslinker molecules; said molecules each contain an amino group and a Michael-type addition group, and crosslinked with the polymers containing the thiol groups or the crosslinker molecules with the at least two thiol groups via a Michael-type addition.

57. The covalently crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 55, wherein the Michael-type addition group is a maleimide group, vinylsulfone group or acrylate group.

58. The covalently crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 55, wherein the polymers containing amine and thiol groups are uncharged building blocks selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycols (PEG), poly (2-oxazolines) (POX), polyvinyl pyrrolidones (PVP), polyvinyl alcohols (PVA) and polyacrylamides (PAM), and wherein the crosslinker molecules containing amine or thiol groups are non-polymeric, bifunctional crosslinker molecules.

59. The covalently crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 57, wherein the charged building blocks are poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) with variable molar ratios of 4-styrenesulfonic acid to maleic acid in a range from 6:1 to 1:6 and molar masses in a range from 5,000 to 100,000 g/mole.

60. The covalently crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 55, wherein the uncharged building blocks for forming the polymer network are polymers conjugated with enzymatically cleavable peptides having either lysine or cysteine as reactive amino acid in the peptide sequence.

61. The covalently crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 59, wherein the enzymatically cleavable peptides are cleavable by human or bacterial proteases, in particular MMPs, cathepsins, elastases, aureolysin and/or blood clotting enzymes.

62. The covalently crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 60, wherein the bioactive and/or antiadhesive molecules having an amino or carboxyl group and/or cell-instructing peptides are bound to the hydrogel network via lysine or cysteine in the sequence to the charged building block poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic) acid or to derivatives thereof having Michael-type-addition-groups forming a covalent bond.

63. The covalently crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 61, characterized in that the bioactive molecules are antimicrobial substances, for example antibiotics or antiseptics, or pharmaceutical active ingredients.

64. The covalently crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 61, wherein the anti-adhesive molecules are polyethylene glycols (PEG) or poly (2-oxazolines) (POX).

65. The covalently crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 61, wherein the cell-instructing peptides are peptides derived from structural and functional proteins of the extracellular matrix, such as collagen, laminin, tenascin, fibronectin and vitronectin.

66. The covalently crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 64, wherein the bioactive and/or antiadhesive and/or cell-inducible peptides are covalently bonded to the hydrogel networks via enzymatically cleavable peptide sequences.

67. The covalently crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 56, wherein the hydrogel material has a storage modulus of 0.2 to 22 kPa.

68. A physically crosslinked hydrogel material for performing the method according to claim 38, comprising physically interacting charged building blocks in the form of poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) and uncharged building blocks in the form of polymers, wherein strongly positive charged peptide sequences are conjugated on the polymers.

69. A physically crosslinked hydrogel material according to claim 67, wherein the strongly positively charged peptide sequences comprise at least ten repeats of lysine or arginine or at least five repeats of dipeptide motifs with lysine and alanine, or with arginine and alanine.

70. A method of using hydrogels according to claim 38, comprising applying the hydrogels in factor management in vivo for controlling one or more diseases from the group consisting of angiogenesis, immune diseases, cancers, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, Crohn's disease, colitis ulcerosa, multiple sclerosis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, cutaneous wound healing and bone regeneration.

71. The method of using a hydrogel material according to claim 69, wherein applying the hydrogels for cutaneous wound healing includes use of a type 2 hydrogel for sequestration of at least one of the pro-inflammatory chemokines eotaxin, GRO-a, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, MCP-3, MCD, Rantes and SDF-1-alpha inside the hydrogels, with at least one of the pro-regenerative factors EGF, FGF-2, TGFb1, IL-10, HGF and PLGF remaining unaffected or largely unaffected in a biofluid.

72. The method of using a hydrogel material according to claim 70, further comprising a targeted purification of proteins from cell lysates of microbial or eukaryotic origin.

73. The method of using a hydrogel material according to claim 70, further comprising a negative selection and separation of EGF, FGF-2, TGF-, IL-10, HGF and PLGF signaling molecules, which bind weakly to the hydrogels of types 1-3, from biofluids.

74. The method of using a hydrogel material according to claim 68, for in vitro cell and organ culture from embryonic stem cells (ES), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS-), and other stem and progenitor cells not associated with ES and iPS-, primary cells obtained from patients, immortalized cell lines, as well as heart, muscle, kidney, liver and nerve tissues.

Description

[0025] Further details, features and advantages of embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments, which are also described and supported by the depicted tables and figures.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows representative light-microscopic images of cell cultures with human endothelial cells cultured on hydrogels after 24 hours.

[0027] Other advantageous concentration ratios can also be set by deliberately varying the network properties, and the proposed method also makes it possible to control the concentration of these species in any biofluid by extending the analysis to additional signaling molecules.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Chemical and physical description of the hydrogels, embodiments 01 to 26: crosslinking reaction 1 (VN1): activated carboxyl group with amino group, crosslinking reaction 2 (VN2): maleimide group with thiol group Hydrogel mixture during Hydrogel properties under physiological conditions, swollen crosslinking, unswollen Concen- Concen- Concen- Concen- tration tration tration Molar Swelling tration sulfate/ Storage module in UGB in GB in Ratio Average GB in sulfonate in Average Name mmole/ml mmole/ml UGB:GB Value SD mmole/ml mmole/ml value SD VN UGB1-GB1 01 0.0091 0.0030 3 1.77 1.70 0.0018 0.12 1.9 1.9 1 UGB1-G62 02 0.0079 0.0040 2 1.62 0.03 0.0025 0.12 4.0 1.1 1 UGB1-G83 03 0.0073 0.0045 1.5 1.71 0.04 0.0027 0.06 2.3 0.0 1 UGB1-G84 04 0.0057 0.0038 1.5 1.23 0.01 0.0031 0.28 7.9 1.9 1 UGB1-GB4 05 0.0079 0.0026 3 1.54 0.54 0.0017 0.15 14.5 1.6 1 UGB1-GB4 06 0.0030 0.0020 1.5 1.54 0.05 0.0013 0.12 7.3 0.2 1 UGB1-0134 07 0.0041 0.0014 3 1.12 0.03 0.0012 0.11 13.7 0.5 1 UGB1-GB4 08 0.0052 0.0009 6 0.95 0.03 0.0009 0.08 19.6 2.0 1 UGB1-GB4 09 0.0021 0.0014 1.5 1.25 0.18 0.0011 0.1 4.8 0.6 1 UGB1-GB4 10 0.0030 0.0010 3 1.01 0.12 0.0010 0.09 8.1 0.7 1 UGB1-GB4 11 0.0037 0.0006 6 0.86 0.11 0.0007 0.06 8.5 0.4 1 UGB1-G85 12 0.0057 0.0038 1.5 1.68 35.00 0.0023 0.09 8.5 1.7 1 UGB1-GB5 13 0.0079 0.0026 3 1.48 0.23 0.0018 0.13 15.3 0.7 1 UGB1-GB5 14 0.0030 0.0020 1.5 1.81 0.04 0.0011 0.08 5.5 1.4 1 UGB1-G85 15 0.0041 0.0014 3 1.28 0.08 0.0011 0.08 12.5 1.2 1 UGB1-GB5 16 0.0052 0.0009 6 0.99 0.04 0.0009 0.06 21.8 0.8 1 UGB1-GB5 17 0.0021 0.0014 1.5 1.58 0.08 0.0009 0.07 3.0 0.2 1 UGB1-G65 18 0.0030 0.0010 3 1.05 0.10 0.0009 0.07 6.9 0.7 1 UGB1-GB5 19 0.0037 0.0006 6 0.90 0.04 0.0007 0.05 8.0 1.3 1 UGB2-GB4 20 0.0015 0.0022 1.5 1.22 0.03 0.0018 0.16 3.7 0.5 2 UGB2-GB4 21 0.0015 0.0015 1 1.62 0.20 0.0009 0.08 1.1 0.2 2 UGB2-GB4 22 0.0015 0.0011 0.75 2.20 0.19 0.0005 0.05 0.2 0.1 2 UGB2-GB4 23 0.0015 0.0022 1.5 1.19 0.17 0.0018 0.14 4.6 1.5 2 UGB2-GB5 24 0.0015 0.0015 1 1.56 0.07 0.0010 0.07 1.2 0.2 2 UGB2-GB5 25 0.0015 0.0011 0.75 1.95 0.72 0.0006 0.04 0.3 0.0 2 UGB2-UGB3 26 0.0018 0.0000 1 1.26 0.25 0.0000 0 4.4 0.5 2

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Chemical-physical properties of the polymer hydrogel building blocks (components); MWP: molar mass of the polymer, MWWE: molar mass of the repeat unit: Number of Number of Sulfate/Sulfonate Sulfate/Sulfonate MWP MWWE per per Polymer Abbreviation in g/mole in g/mole WE polmer molecule Heparin (HEP) GB1 14,000 540 2.7 70.2 N-desulfated Heparin (N-DSH) GB2 13,600 523 1.8 48.4 6O, N-desulfated Heparin (6ON-DSH) GB3 12,320 474 0.9 23.4 poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid), molar GB4 20,000 660 3.0 90.0 ratio sulfonic acid to maleic acid: 3:1 poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid), molar GB5 20,000 265 1.0 75.0 ratio sulfonic acid to maleic acid: 1:1 4-Arm-PEG, amin-terminated UGB1 10,000 44 0.0 0.0 4-Arm-PEG, thiol-terminated UGB2 10,000 44 0.0 0.0 4-Arm-PEG, maleimid-terminated UGB3 10,000 44 0.0 0.0 4-Arm PEG, terminated with an enzymatically- UGB4 15,600 44 0.0 0.0 cleavable peptid sequence

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Chemical-physical properties of the signaling molecules, binding or sequestration of the proteins in the hydrogel of the types UGB1-GB1 01, UGB1-GB2 02, UGB1-GB5 23, UGB1-GB3 03, UGB1-GB4 04, UGB2-GB4 20 and the uncharged hydrogel UGB2-UGB3 26 (as a negative control) Physical-chemical Structural Binding of proteins In % properties properties of hydrogel with name Molekular Number of PROSITE- UGB1-GB1 01 UGB1-GB2 02 Unipro weight in proactive Sequence Average value Average value Name ID Dalton IEP charge Families SD SD Growth FGF-2 P09038 16407.6 9.6 28 PS00247 31.0% 3.2% 5.4% 8.7% factors TGFb1 P01137 12794.7 8.6 15 PS00250 18.0% 4.2% 0.0% 2.0% bNGF P01138 13434.2 9.0 21 PS00248 83.5% 7.3% 78.5% 4.5% EGO P01133 6222.0 4.8 7 PS50028 7.2% 6.1% 8.1% 3.0% HGF P14210 53683.7 7.7 78 PS50070 41.7% 4.0% 48.3% 5.2% PDGF-BB P01127 12294.4 9.4 19 PS50275 100.8% 10.1% 100.0% 6.5% PLGF P48763 22785.9 8.4 31 PS50279 2.3% 3.3% 6.9% 6.3% VEGF-A P49763 23894.4 9.2 47 PS50280 90.0% 1.1% 85.6% 1.1% Chemokines Eotaxin P15692 8384.8 9.9 13 PS00472 100.0% 0.0% 98.0% 0.4% GRO-alpha P51671 7805.1 9.6 12 PS00471 98.4% 0.5% 79.3% 0.9% IL-5 P09341 8922.3 8.2 17 P800471 94.2% 1.3% 69.6% 2.1% IP-10 P02778 8646.2 10.2 17 PS00471 98.2% 0.5% 92.7% 2.3% MCP-1 P13500 8684.9 9.4 14 P800472 94.6% 1.0% 88.4% 0.7% MIP-1alpha P10147 7718.5 4.8 8 PS00472 58.2% 2.7% 41.1% 1.2% MIP-1beta P13235 7818.7 4.8 8 P500472 56.1% 2.2% 38.0% 2.7% RANTES P13501 7503.8 9.3 11 P500472 99.0% 0.2% 95.2% 0.6% SDF-1 alpha P48061 8525.1 10.1 17 PS00471 98.6% 0.3% 90.5% 0.6% Cytokines GM-CSF P04141 14477.4 5.2 15 PS00702 8.4% 2.1% 3.9% 10% IFN-gamma P01579 16177.3 9.5 28 99.5% 0.1% 92.6% 2.0% IL-1beta P01584 17376.7 5.9 19 PS00253 27.0% 3.7% 25.2% 0.6% IL-10 P22301 18347.2 7.8 25 PS00520 32.7% 9.7% 14.7% 6.1% IL-12p40 P29460 3469.6 5.4 43 59.9% 5.1% 65.1% 1.8% IL-4 P05112 14963.0 9.3 28 PS00838 98.5% 0.3% 82.41% 2.0% IL-5 P03231 20812.5 6.2 25 PS00254 24.3% 4.8% 7.0% 4.9% TNF-alpha P01375 17362.8 7.0 18 PS00251 38.9% 3.5% 24.7% 3.3% Sclerostin O9BOB4 21522.1 9.6 38 65.0% 3.1% 42.0% 11.2% DKK1 O94907 25777.6 8.7 42 84.0% 6.2% 78.0% 3.2% Classified as TYPE according to Table 5.1 TYPE 1 TYPE 2 Binding of proteins in % of hydrogel with name UGB2-GB5 23 UGB1-GB3 03 UGB1-GB4 04 UGB2-GB4 20 UGB2-GB3 26 Average value Average value Average value Average value Average value SD SD SD SD SD Growth 0.0% 19.7% factors 0.0% 5.9% 86.8% 0.9% 71.4% 3.8% 97.3% 2.2% 100.0% 0.0% 11.6% 9.9% 11.5% 0.9% 28.3% 3.0% 36.6% 3.4% 49.6% 14.6% 20.5% 1.5% 41.3% 11.8% 60.2% 4.0% 82.9% 8.5% 100.0% 2.2% 100.0% 5.5% 100.0% 2.0% 19.7% 23.1% 7.7% 1.1% 25.0% 1.7% 98.3% 2.3% 69.4% 4.5% 93.4% 1.3% 93.7% 2.9% 1.9% 4.7% Chemokines 98.4% 1.0% 91.9% 2.3% 100.0% 0.0% 99.2% 9.2% <0.1% 5.1% 96.8% 2.1% 57.9% 2.7% 100.0% 0.0% 97.3% 1.7% <0.1% 8.5% 94.5% 7.3% 44.7% 2.5% 99.0% 0.6% 97.6% 1.7% <0.1% 1.0% 94.7% 4.1% 85.6% 7.7% 98.0% 0.6% 93.7% 1.5% <0.1% 16.4% 99.8% 1.8% 45.3% 4.3% 98.7% 0.7% 97.4% 1.4% <0.1% 8.3% 81.8% 12.1% 28.7% 3.7% 97.8% 0.9% 94.8% 2.0% <0.1% 1.7% 78.0% 15.7% 23.3% 3.1% 98.4% 0.7% 94.0% 4.1% 0.2% 1.0% 94.7% 2.4% 90.2% 0.5% 99.5% 0.2% 97.0% 1.3% <0.1% 1.5% 99.9% 1.9% 80.6% 1.5% 99.7% 0.3% 97.2% 1.6% <0.1% 2.9% Cytokines 7.5% 14.1% 11.1% 2.5% 24.2% 1.7% 36.0% 4.5% 1.3% 4.2% 75.8% 14.8% 99.0% 0.9% 5.5% 8.1% 25.2% 3.6% 72.0% 1.9% 59.8% 5.0% <0.1% 5.4% 15.7% 11.8% 15.5% 5.0% 98.8% 0.9% 95.4% 4.5% <0.1% 2.0% 45.8% 1.3% 92.5% 1.3% 95.9% 7.3% 72.6% 0.7% 99.1% 0.5% 96.8% 2.6% <0.1% 2.0% 49.4% 26.7% 17.3% 7.8% 89.5% 0.5% 88.2% 4.6% <0.1% 1.0% 24.8% 3.7% 97.6% 1.1% 0.0% 8.6% 36.0% 10.1% TYPE 2 TYPE 3 TYPE 4 TYPE 4 TYPE 5

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Activation time of the carboxyl groups of GB 1 to 5 in min, gel volume used for the binding studies Gel volume for activation time binding studies UGB1-GB1 01 15 minutes 12.14 l UGB1-GB2 02 10 min 12.38 l UGB1-GB3 03 45 min 8.56 l UGB1-GB 5-19 1 min 12.00 l UGB2-GB4 20 to 0 min 10.00 l UGB2-UGB3 26

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5.1 Gel types with parameter ranges A B C D Type 1 0.0040-0.0060 0.09-0.20 <20 uncharged Type 2 0.0025-0.0040 0.05-0.18 <20 uncharged Type 3 0.0005-0.0025 0.01-0.12 <20 uncharged Type 4 0.0040-0.0100 0.16-0.80 <20 uncharged Type 5 0 0 <20 uncharged

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 5.2 Gel types of preferred embodiments A B C D Type 1 (UGB1-GB1 01) 0.0050 0.12 <20 Cuncharged Type 2 (UGB1-GB2 02) 0.0035 0.12 <20 uncharged Type 2 (UGB2-GB5 23) 0.0038 0.14 <20 uncharged Type 3 (UGB1-GB3 03) 0.0019 0.06 <20 uncharged Type 4 (UGB1-GB4 04) 0.0045 0.28 <20 uncharged Type 4 (UGB2-GB4 20) 0.0045 0.16 <20 uncharged Type 5 (UGB2-UGB3 26) 0 0 <20 uncharged

TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 6.1 e F G C D Type 1 60-80 0.0015-0.0025 0.09-0.20 <20 uncharged Type 2 30-75 .0015-.0030 0.05-0.18 <20 uncharged Type 3 10-30 0.0010-0.0040 0.01-0.12 <20 uncharged Type 4 80-120 0.0018-0.0050 0.16-0.80 <20 uncharged Type 5 0 0 0 <20 uncharged

TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 6.2 e F G C D Type 1 (UGB1-GB1 01) 70.2 0.0018 0.12 <20 uncharged Type 2 (UGB1-GB2 02) 48.4 0.0025 0.12 <20 uncharged Type 2 (UGB2-GB5 23) 75.0 0.0018 0.14 <20 uncharged Type 3 (UGB1-GB3 03) 23.4 0.0027 0.06 <20 uncharged Type 4 (UGB1-GB4 04) 90.0 0.0031 0.28 <20 uncharged Type 4 (UGB2-GB4 20) 90.0 0.0018 0.16 <20 uncharged Type 5 (UGB2-UGB3 26) 0 0 0 <20 uncharged

[0028] In Tables 5.1, 5.2, 6.1 and 6.2, the number of sulfate or sulfonate groups per repeat unit (WE) divided by the molar mass (MW) of the WE is indicated in column A as a property of the charged units in [mole/g]. As properties of the swollen hydrogels, the concentration of the sulfate or sulfonate groups in mmole/ml is given in column B and the storage modulus in kPa is given in column C. Column D lists the properties of the uncharged building blocks.

[0029] Column E indicates the molar concentration of the sulfate or sulfonate groups per mole of polymer (in mole/mole) of the charged building block. Column F shows the properties of the hydrogels as concentration of GB in mmole/ml, column G shows the concentration of sulfate or sulfonate groups in mmole/ml and column C as storage module.

[0030] The storage modulus of 20 kPa corresponds, according to the assumptions listed in the methods, to a mesh size of approximately 6 nm and thus should allow steric accessibility of all the structurally similar signaling molecules discussed herein into the hydrogels.

TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 7 Name Cancentration/pg/ml FGF-2 550 TGFb1 4047 bNGF 29500 EGF 11986 HGF 30600 PDGF-BB 26000 PIGF 9971 VEGF-A 48290 eotaxin 2500 GRO-alpha 9500 IL-8 12386 IP-10 8800 MCP-1 6500 MIP-1 alpha 16400 MIP-1 beta 13500 RANTES 3600 SDF-1 alpha 39800 GM-CSF 41000 IFN-gamma 50700 IL-1 beta 8250 IL-10 9250 IL-12p40 13500 IL-4 36200 IL-6 44368 TNF-alpha 31363 sclerostin 13300 DKK1 864

[0031] Table 7 lists substances of substance groups A and B in relevant concentrations in the biofluids.

[0032] The invention will now be explained with reference to the exemplary embodiments (AB) in the tables shown above.

[0033] For example, the hydrogels from UG B1-GB1 01 in Table 1 (AB1) have proven to be particularly advantageous for adjusting the concentrations of different signaling molecules (see Table 3).

[0034] The class of chemokines has a high structural similarity to the tertiary structure, which is stabilized by the interaction of four cysteines by disulfide bridges (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00471 and PS00472). Furthermore, chemokines are characterized by a strong net positive charge IEP>9 or positively charged domains such as MIP1-alpha and MIP1-beta and a molar mass less than 10 kDa (see Table 3) and are strongly bound in the hydrogel by this hydrogel type and thus depleted from adjacent biofluids (binding of MIP1-alpha and MIP1-beta approximately 60%, the other chemokines eotaxin, GRO-alpha, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, RANTES and SDF-1 alpha are 95% bound (Table 3), while surprisingly the following highly positively charged signaling molecules FGF-2 (IEP 9.58) and TGFb1 (IEP 8.59) associated with the class of growth factors and structurally similar proteins of the FGF family (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00247) and of the TGFb1 family (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00250) are bound only very weakly with 31% and 18%, PLGF (IEP 8.37) with a binding <10% even less (Table 3), and the signaling molecules associated with the class of cytokines with a slightly basic IEP, such as IL-10 (IEP 7.65), as well as signaling molecules with an IEP in the neutral range (pH 5.5-7), such as IL1-beta, IL6 and TNF-alpha and structurally similar proteins of the IL-1-beta protein in family (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00253), the IL-10 protein family (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00520), the interleukin-6/GM-CSF/MGF family (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00254) and TNF-alpha protein family (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00251) are bonded only weakly 30% (Table 3) from the complex biofluid (binding of TNF-alpha ca. 38%) and are thus present in the biofluid in almost unchanged concentrations. Furthermore, the growth factor with a slightly negative net charge EGF (IEP 4.8) and binding of less than 10% is almost not bonded. As a result, signaling factors essential for the survival of cells, such as EGF, FGF-2, TGF or PLGF, remain unaffected by the sequestration realized by way of the abovementioned hydrogels.

[0035] The strongly basic cytokines IFN-gamma (IEP 9,52), IL-4 (IEP 9,25), the WNT and BMP antagonists sclerostin (9,57) and DKK1 (8,72) as well as structurally similar proteins of IL-4/IL-13 family (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00838) and the sclerostin-like family (corresponding to InterPro ID: IPR008835) and the strongly basic growth factors bNGF (IEP 9.00), PDGF (IEP 9.4) and VEGF (IEP 9,2) and structurally similar proteins of the NGF family (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00248) and of the PDGF family (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00250) and IL-12p40 are strongly bound at 59.9% as expected (Table 3) and therefore depleted from the biofluid.

[0036] By contacting a biofluid with a hydrogel with the specified charge and network characteristic of the type 1 according to Table 5.1, a selective selection of growth factors having proteins structurally similar to DKK1, bNGF, PDGF-BB, VEGF, as well as chemokines (e.g. eotaxin, Gro-alpha, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1 alpha, MIP1 beta, Rantes, SDF1 alpha) and cytokines with proteins structurally similar to IFN-gamma, IL4 and sclerostin according to annotated sequence motifs and protein families can be depleted from the biofluid or their concentration in the biofluid can be increased by precharging the hydrogel, while advantageously leaving nearly unchanged the concentration of the above-mentioned signaling molecules EGF, FGF-2, TGFb1, PLGF, IL-10, IL1 beta, IL6, and TNF alpha. In addition, this hydrogel has an interaction of the GB1 with the enzymes thrombin and antithrombin important for blood clotting according to Uwe Freudenberg et al., Journal of Controlled Release, Journal of Controlled Release: Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society 220, no. Part A (Dec. 28, 2015): 79-88, doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2015.10.028.

[0037] Another particularly advantageous exemplary embodiment (AB2) consists in the hydrogel type UGB1-GB2 02 (see Table 2) which has a binding or sequestering pattern that is nearly identical to the hydrogel type UGB1:GB1 01 (see Table 3), except for the weaker binding of the two chemokines MIP-1 alpha and MIP-1 beta and sclerostin (each about 40%, Table 3) and the even weaker binding of IL-10 (15%), IL-6 (8%), TNF alpha (25%), see Table 3, and the more advantageous almost non-existent binding of FGF-2 (5%) and TGFb1 (0%), and the lack of interaction of GB2 with the blood clotting enzymes thrombin and antithrombin (see Uwe Freudenberg et al., Journal of Controlled Release, Journal of Controlled Release: Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society 220, no. Part A (Dec. 28, 2015): 79-88, doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2015.10.028). Another advantageous exemplary embodiment is UGB2-GB5 23 (AB 23, see Table 1), which has a charge characteristic that can like the AB2 also be assigned to type 2 in accordance with Table 5.1, but which has a slightly different sulfonate content of 0.14 mmole/ml (Table 1 or Table 5.2, column B) and a slightly different number of sulfonate groups per repeat unit (WE) divided by the molar weight (MW) of the WE in [mole/g] of 0.0038, however with both parameters the range given in Table 5.1 for a type 2 hydrogel. The hydrogel, however, was formed from another charged, synthetic gel building block (GB5) with a different crosslinking reaction (crosslinking type 2, Table 1) and has a nearly identical binding or sequestering patterns as the AB2 (see Table 3) except for the somewhat stronger binding of the two chemokines MIP-1 alpha and MIP-1 beta. This confirms the classification of the hydrogels with the characteristic charge patterns according to Table 5.1 and also represents a particularly advantageous sequestration pattern.

[0038] Another advantageous exemplary embodiment (AB3) is represented by the hydrogel type UGB1-GB3 03 (see Table 2), which has a significantly weaker binding to many proteins (signaling molecules) due to the significantly lower concentration of sulfate or sulfonate groups in the hydrogel (Table 5.2, column B, 0.06 compared to 0.12 mmole/ml for AB1 or AB2) and also the lower number of sulfate or sulfone groups per WE divided by the molar mass of the WE of 0.0019 compared to 0.005 or 0.0035 for AB 1 or AB2 (see Table 5.2, Column A) compared to the AB1 and AB2. For this type of hydrogel, bNGF, PDGF-BB, and VEGF A, eotaxin, GRO-alpha, IP-10, Rantes, SDF-1 alpha, IFN-gamma, and IL-4 are more than 50% bound by the hydrogel and therefore depleted from a biofluid. In contrast, IL-8, MCP-1 and IL12p40 are only bound by the hydrogel by about 45% (see Table 3), HGF, MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, IL-1 beta, IL-10, IL-6, TNF alpha and DKK1 by 16-36% only weakly (see Table 3), and FGF-2, TGFb1, EGF, PLGF, GM-CSF and sclerostin almost not (<12%) (see Table 3) and the majority of signaling molecules is therefore significantly less than for AB1 and AB2. With this type of gel, for example, a largely selective separation of bNGF, PDGF-BB, and VEGF A, eotaxin, GRO-alpha, IP-10, Rantes, SDF-1 alpha, IFN-gamma and IL-4 from arbitrary biofluids is possible.

[0039] Another advantageous embodiment is the hydrogel UGB1-GB4 04 (see Table 1), which due to the high concentration of sulfate or sulfonate groups of 0.28 mmole/ml in the hydrogel (Table 5.2, column B) and a likewise high number of sulfonate groups per WE divided by the molar mass of WE of 0.0045 mole/g, with the exception of HGF, PLGF, GM-GSF and EGF, binds all investigated factors with a high efficiency (between 72-100%, see Table 3) in the hydrogel and thus depletes them from the biofluid (see Table 3).

[0040] In particular, with this hydrogel, a depletion of all investigated and structurally similar factors (IEP and the presence of structural similarities) from adjacent biofluids occurs, particularly the class of chemokines, which have high structural similarity of the tertiary structure resulting from the interaction of four cysteines by disulfide bridges (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00471 and PS00472) and which are characterized by a strongly positive net charge IEP>9 or positively charged domains as in MIP1 alpha and MIP1 beta and a molecular weight of less than 10 kDa (see Table Protein properties), FGF-2 (IEP 9.58), TGFb1 (IEP 8.59) and structurally similar FGF family proteins (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00247), the TGF family (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00250) and the class of signaling molecules associated with cytokines having slightly basic IEP such as IL-10 (IEP 7.65) as well as signaling molecules with an IEP in the neutral range (pH 5.5-7), such as IL1, IL6, and TNF and structurally similar proteins of the IL-1 protein family (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00253) and of the IL-10 protein family (corresponding to PROSITE ID: PS00520). Another advantageous exemplary embodiment, UGB2-GB4 20 (see Table 1), which with a charge characteristics that can according to Table 5.1 also be associated with type 4 like AB4, which has the same GB 5, see Table 5.1 column A: 0.0045, but a lower sulfonate concentration of 0.16 mmole/ml (see Table 1 and Table 5.1) that is still attributable to the type 4, but was formed with a different crosslinking reaction (VN: 2 in Table 1), has a nearly identical binding or sequestration patterns to the UGB1-GB4 04 (see Table 3). This result thus also confirms the effective predictive power of the charge characteristics of types 1-5 according to Table 5.1 for the differentiated sequestration of substances or groups of substances.

[0041] Another exemplary embodiment is the uncharged hydrogel (UGB2-UGB3 26) formed from UGB1 and UGB3 which, as expected, binds as a negative control almost none of the signaling molecules from the biofluid. Except for the minor sequestration of PDGF-BB of 19.723.1% and IP 10 of 16.116.4%, which cannot be classified as significant due to the large standard deviations, no sequestration (1.3% for all signaling molecules tested, see Table 3) occurs for this hydrogel. This result can be clearly attributed to the absence of charged affinity centers and thus to the absence of the afore-discussed charge interactions. The storage modulus and hence also the network mesh size, however, of 4.4 kPa (Table 1) are almost identical to the storage moduli of UGB1-GB2 02, UGB2-GB4 20 and UGB2-GB5 23, i.e. the steric interactions with the charged exemplary embodiments the signaling molecules are comparable. These results, in particular by the lack of interactions (i.e. the absence of binding and sequestering effects) of the uncharged hydrogel (UGB2-UGB3 26) with the signaling molecules, substantiate the claims for differentiated sequestration according to Table 5.1.

[0042] At the same time, individual factors can be released into the biofluid via by selectively precharging the hydrogels of the types 1 to 3 of Table 5 in parallel and independently of sequestering and hence depletion of the other factors. Thus, with the various types of hydrogels, almost any level of individual signaling molecules in complex biofluids can be adjusted by targeted precharging of the hydrogels or the nearly quantitative sequestration (depletion) of signaling molecules (e.g. application for separating signaling molecules from any protein-containing solution).

[0043] Based on the exemplary embodiments in UGB1-GB1 01 to UGB2-UGB3 26, the following relationships between protein properties, hydrogel properties and binding of proteins in the hydrogel network important for the description of the invention are evident: A strong binding of the signaling molecules according to Table 3 correlates on the side of proteins with a net positive charge (and here with a high, basic IEP as the corresponding parameter) as well as with the inverse of the molecular weight (high IEP and small molecular weight enhance binding, see Table 3, the highly positively charged and relatively small chemokines (<9 kDa) are most strongly bound and on the side of the hydrogel network, (1) a high concentration of sulfate or sulfonate groups in the hydrogel (Table 1 and 5.2, column B), and (2) a high number of sulfate or sulfonate groups per WE divided by the molar mass of the WE enhance the binding of the signaling molecules. Commensurate with these parameters, the following sequential order results for the hydrogels from the strongest binding to the weakest binding: UGB1-GB4 04UGB2-GB4 20<UGB1-GB1 01<UGB1-GB2 02UGB2-GB5 23<UGB1-GB3 03<<UGB2-UGB3 26. This result is supported by the experimentally found binding values (see Table 3). In addition, with different combinations of the aforementioned hydrogel network parameters (1) and (2), the strong interactions known in the literature as specific interactionsi.e. a spatial matching of the different interaction centers, between proteins and negatively charged polyelectrolytes (e.g. glycose-aminoglycans) can be adjusted, and other structural properties in addition to the molecular weight and net charge can thus also be used on the protein side for modulating the binding to the hydrogels. These correlations explain also the low binding of the strongly basic and relatively small signaling molecules FGF-2, TGFb1 and PLGF to the hydrogel types UGB1-GB1 01, UGB1 GB2-02, GB3 UGB1-03 and UGB1-GB4 04.

[0044] Further possibilities for controlling the levels of soluble signaling molecules are based on the sequential or combined use of the different hydrogel types in order to precisely adjust a wide variety of specific sequestering and release properties. By targeted variation of the network properties (in particular the previously described parameters (1) and (2) and also the combination of hydrogel micro-particles of different composition (e.g. charging with individual signaling molecules) in so-called multiphase hydrogel materials (i.e. by mixing hydrogel types of different types or precharging with signaling molecules or proteins), other advantageous concentration ratios can also be set in adjacent biofluids.

[0045] By extending the analysis to further signaling molecules, the proposed method also allows the control of the concentration of these substances in any type of biofluids.

[0046] In order to be able to effectively control the complex biological functions of signaling molecules, for example for therapeutic concepts, an active management of different signaling molecules from the immediate biological environment of the cells or the biological application is necessary in addition to the sustained release of individual signaling molecules from the hydrogel precharged with the signaling molecules. The interactions with a large number of relevant signaling molecules must therefore be considered. When hydrogels containing sulfated or sulfonated components are charged, for example, with a signaling molecule for sustained release, other therapeutically important molecules from the biological environment can be simultaneously sequestered and thus inactivated simultaneously with the therapeutically desired release of the signaling molecules, thus representing an undesirable side effect. On the other hand, however, it is also possible to specifically sequester and to thus inactivate therapeutically undesired signaling molecules into hydrogel carrying the sulfated or sulfonated groups. Overall, very complex release and sequestration scenarios are possible, which decide in their totality about the biological effect, in particular the molecular separation properties of the materials.

[0047] Further advantageous embodiments of the invention include the use of hydrogels according to the types 1-4 of Table 5 for modulating the concentration or levels of biologically active proteins at low total levels.

[0048] An essential advantage of the method lies in the universality of its application possibilities. The method can advantageously be used both for biotechnological purification and for separation of protein mixtures from or in biofluids by using hydrogels with sulfated or sulfonated components.

[0049] In an exemplary narrower sense, the method for factor management can be used in vivo for controlling the angiogenesis, immune diseases, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases and wound healing.

[0050] In wound healing, the mostly pro-inflammatory acting chemokines (e.g. eotaxin, GRO-a, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, MCP-3, MCD, Rantes and SDF-1) are sequestered inside the hydrogels, whereas pro-regenerative factors (e.g. EGF, FGF-2, TGFb1, IL-10, HGF and PLGF) will remain largely unaffected.

[0051] A particularly important field of application of the invention is the control of the concentrations of substances in biofluids, which are responsible for deciding the fate of cells in vitro and in vivo. The dysregulation of pro-inflammatory-acting chemokines and the associated chronic inflammation is the cause of the development of various diseases such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis, asthma or rheumatoid arthritis. The targeted modulation of the concentration of these inflammatory factors from biofluids by the application of different hydrogels with sulfated or sulfonated components according to the invention represents a possible application scenario.

[0052] In a broader sense, the application of the hydrogels with sulfated or sulfonated components according to the invention allows a targeted purification of the here investigated or structurally similar signaling molecules from complex protein mixtures. The described gel systems can thus be biotechnologically used for the targeted purification of proteins from cell lysates of microbial or eukaryotic origin. In this case, these cell lysates are prompted by hydrogels according to the invention to bind the signaling molecules. In a second step, the bound substances can be removed again from the hydrogels for further use by rinsing with highly concentrated saline solutions or positively charged polyelectrolytes (e.g. chitosan) and thus separated. Furthermore, a negative selection for the separation of the signaling molecules, which are under these conditions weakly bound to the hydrogels of types 1-3 binding example. EGF, FGF-2, TGF-.beta., IL-10, HGF and PLGF, is possible by using supernatants after 24 h binding.

[0053] A relevant practical advantage of the invention is that the binding of a variety of biologically relevant signaling molecules to sulfated or sulfonated hydrogels with targeted graduated charge characteristic and network structure is realized even at high albumin concentrations of 1 mg/ml to 45 mg/ml at simultaneously low levels of signaling molecules from 100 pg/ml to 2000 ng/ml in a physiological electrolyte as a biofluid, and that as a result selectivity differences in the binding of the individual signaling molecules to the different hydrogel types can be employed.

[0054] The exemplary embodiments of UGB1-GB1 01 to UGB1-GB4 011 given in Table 1 are covalently crosslinked hydrogels according to crosslinking reaction 1, wherein 6 to 24 carboxyl groups (depending on the molar ratio of 1.5 to 6 in four-arm star PEG) of a molecule of GB4 (Poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-malic acid), molar ratio of styrene sulfonic acid:maleic acid 3:1, Table 1) were activated with EDC/sulfo-NHS and reacted directly with the four-arm, amine-terminated UGB1 to yield a hydrogel (see Table 1), resulting in hydrogels with a variable sulfonate concentration of 0.28 to 0.06 mmole/ml and variable storage moduli of 4.8 to 19.6 kPA (see Table 1).

[0055] The exemplary embodiments given in Table 1 UGB1-GB5 12 to UGB1-GB5 19 are covalently crosslinked hydrogels according to crosslinking principle 1 in which 6 to 24 carboxyl groups (depending on the molar ratio 1.5 to 6 in four-functional star-PEG) of a molecule of poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) with the molar ratio of styrenesulfonic acid to maleic acid 1:1 (GB5), were activated by EDC/SN HS and converted directly to a hydrogel by means of the four-arm, amine-terminated UGB1 (see Table 1), resulting in hydrogels with a variable sulfonate concentration of 0.13 to 0.05 mmole/ml and variable storage moduli from 3 to 21.8 kPA (see Table 1).

[0056] The exemplary embodiments UGB2-GB4 20 to UGB2-GB4 22 are covalently crosslinked hydrogels according to crosslinking principle 2, in which eight of the carboxyl groups of the GB4 (poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid co-maleic acid) with the molar ratio of styrenesulfonic acid:maleic acid 3:1) and activated with EDC/sulfo-NHS are in a first step functionalized with the short bifunctional crosslinker molecule N-(2-aminoethyl) maleimide and thereafter purified and isolated. These derivatives of GB4 were then converted to a hydrogel by mixing in physiological saline (or serum) with the UGB-2 (thiol-terminated four-arm PEG), resulting in hydrogels with a gradation in the concentration of sulfonate groups from 0.16 to 0.05 mmole/ml and the storage moduli of 3.7-0.2 kPa.

[0057] The exemplary embodiments UGB2-GB5 23 to UGB2-GB5 25 are covalently crosslinked hydrogels according to crosslinking principle 2 (VN2, Table 1) in which eight of the carboxyl groups of GB5 (poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) with the molar ratio styrenesulfonic acid:maleic acid 1:1) and activated with EDC/sulfo-NHS are functionalized in a first step by the short bifunctional crosslinker molecule N-(2-aminoethyl) maleimide and subsequently purified and isolated. These derivatives of GB5 were then converted to a hydrogel by mixing in physiological saline solution (or serum) with the UGB-2 (thiol-terminated four-arm PEG), resulting in hydrogels with a gradation in the concentration of sulfonate groups of 0.14 to 0.04 mmole/ml and storage moduli of 4.6-0.3 kPa.

[0058] The exemplary embodiment UGB2-UGB3 26 is an uncharged PEG hydrogel in which, according to the crosslinking principle 2, thiol-terminated four-arm PEG (UGB-2) was reacted with a maleimide-terminated four-arm PEG (UGB-3). This hydrogel served in the sequestering experiments as an uncharged negative control.

[0059] Surprisingly, full-synthetic hydrogels having a large range of advantageous properties and combinations of properties and without disadvantageous immunogenic reactions can be prepared based on the exemplary embodiments 04-5. Thus, a broad concentration of sulfonate groups in the swollen hydrogel of 0.04 to 0.28 m mole/ml and with an equally large variation of the storage modulus 0.2 to 21.8 kPa is largely adjustable independent of each other. For example, the hydrogels UGB2-GB4 21, UGB1-GB5 14, UGB1-GB5 15 and UGB1-GB4 08 have a constant concentration of sulfonate groups in the swollen hydrogel of 0.08 mmole/ml, but at the same time increasing storage moduli of 1.1, 5.5, 12.5 and 19.6 kPa, i.e. the sulfonate concentration and the stiffness of the hydrogels can be modulated independently of one another over a wide range. Also, with the selection of UGB1-GB5 19 having a sulfonate concentration of 0.05, UGB1-GB4 11 having a sulfonate concentration of 0.06, and UGB1-GB4 10 having a sulfonate concentration of 0.09 with a nearly constant storage modulus of 8.0-8.5 kPa, the sulfonate concentration can be varied independently of the stiffness of the hydrogels (see Table 1). In addition, with a further variation of the molar ratios UGB:GB in the ranges between 1.5 and 3 and between 3 and 6 for the VN1 and between 0.5 and 0.75 and 1 and between 1.5 and 1.5 and 2 for the VN2 and a further variation of the concentration of the GB and UGB, many other combinations of properties can be produced.

[0060] Surprisingly, by crosslinking of the poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid), starting with the EDC/sulfoNHS activation of one of the closely adjacent acid groups in the maleic acid, which are influenced in an unpredictable manner in their reactivity not only by the adjacent carboxyl group but especially by the sulfonate groups and the hydrophobic styrene units, hydrogel materials defined with uncharged building blocks could be synthesized with the aforementioned widely gradable properties. Here, a precise network formation (for VN1) or derivatization (for VN2) was achieved by using a surprisingly very short activation time of 1 min, i.e. the time during which the EDC/sulfoNHS was added to poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid), see Table 4, before thereafter an amino-group-bearing molecule was reacted by mixing with the then activated poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) and a very intensive intermixing of the reactants.

[0061] In another exemplary embodiment, hydrogels of the types UGB1-GB1 01, UGB1-GB4 20, UGB1-GB5 23 and UGB1-GB3 26 were functionalized with the adhesion peptide CWRGDSP and precharged with VEGF-A and FGF-2, and on used on the gel surface in a serum-free cell culture medium for the cultivation of human endothelia cells. The morphology of the adherent cells was analyzed after 24 h culture period, as shown in FIG. 1 for UGB1-GB1 01, UGB2-GB4 20, UGB2-GB5 23, and UGB2-UGB3 26. The endothelial cells assumed a different morphology on the different hydrogels, describable by the two parameters aspect ratio and circularity. A high aspect ratio and low circularity corresponds to the desired elongated endothelial cell morphology, the first step in the formation of the biologically desired tubular structures. The aspect ratio of the endothelial cells cultured on UGB1-GB1 01, UGB2-GB4 20 and UGB2-GB5 23 was 3.41.0, 4.11.1 and 4.91.6, while the uncharged reference gels UGB2-UGB3 26 had a significantly lower aspect ratio of 2.11.2. The circularity was correspondingly the inverse with 0.50.1, 0.40.1, 0.30.1 and 0.70.3 for endothelial cells on the hydrogels UGB1-GB1 01, UGB1-GB4 20 and UGB1-GB5 23 and UGB1-GB3 26. These differences were statistically highly significant. Accordingly, the endothelial cells according to Table 5.1 behave significantly different on the hydrogels with the different charge and sequestration properties of type 1 (UGB1-GB1 01), of type 4 (UGB2-GB4 20), of type 2 (UGB2-GB5 23) and of the uncharged type 5 (UGB1-GB3 26). On the uncharged hydrogel, the cells show undesirable short aspect ratios and high circularity, while the desired morphology increases in the order of UGB1-GB1 01<UGB1-GB4 20<UGB2-GB5 23. The hydrogel UGB2-GB5 23 of type 2 shows the best results in this experiment. This grading thus confirms a direct influence of the charge properties and sequestration patterns on the culture of human endothelial cells.

[0062] In another exemplary embodiment, hydrogels of type 1 (UGB1-GB1 01), of type 4 (UGB1-GB4 20), of type 2 (UGB1-GB5 23) and of the uncharged type 5 (UGB1-UGB3 26) were used for polymerization of human mesenchymal stromal cells. The hydrogels were cell-responsive, that is, in addition to the functionalization of the hydrogels with the adhesion-mediating peptide CWGRGDSP, the cleavable peptide sequence GCGGPQGIWGQGGCG enzymatically cleavable by matrix metalloproteases secreted by these cells was preconjugated on the respective uncharged building block and used for crosslinking according to VN2. The metabolic activity of the embedded cells was characterized after 24 hours by a PrestoBlue test as evidence of viability. The metabolic activity, measured as relative fluorescence units, of the polymerized human mesenchymal stromal cells within the hydrogel of type 1 was 71123924, of type 2 37042945, of type 4 31606023 and of the uncharged type 5 2316446, respectively. Accordingly, human mesenchymal stromal cells showed the highest metabolic activity when embedded in Type 2 gels and the lowest metabolic activity when embedded in gels of the uncharged reference gel. The hydrogels, especially of type 2, have thus proved to be particularly advantageous for the cultivation of living human mesenchymal stromal cells in 3D.

[0063] In another advantageous exemplary embodiment, UGB1-GB1 01, UGB2-GB4 20, UGB2-GB5 23, and UGB2-UGB3 26 were functionalized by differentiated sequestration with the antibiotic gentamicin bearing positively charged groups. The inhibition was then measured by releasing the gentamicin from the different hydrogels using the two relevant pathogenic bacterial strains Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (Staphylococcus epidermidis). The antimicrobial activity was measured by the size of the inhibition zone (distance from the hydrogel on the culture plate, see Materials and Methods). No inhibition zones were detectable for the hydrogels of the types UGB1-GB101, UGB2-GB420, UGB2-GB523, and UGB2-UGB3 26 without prior gentamicin sequestration, i.e. the hydrogels did not have an antimicrobial effect. In the case of a prior differentiated sequestering of gentamicin by the hydrogels, the following graded inhibition zones were measured: UGB1-GB1 01: 3.080.33 mm, UGB2-GB4 20 E. coli: 3.080.33 mm, S. epidermidis: 2.940.35 mm, UGB2-GB4 20: E. coli: 1.780.27 mm, S. epidermidis: 1.760.45 mm; UGB2-GB5 23 E. coli: 2.180.38 mm, S. epidermidis: 1, 810.51 mm, and for the uncharged reference gel UGB2 UGB3-26 E. coli: 0.480.36 mm, S. epidermidis: 0.900.28 mm. Accordingly, as expected, only very small amounts of gentamicin are sequestered nonspecifically for the uncharged reference gels UGB2-UGB3 26 and subsequently released again. For the other hydrogels, a graded antimicrobial action could be found in the order of UGB2-GB420<UGB2-GB523<UGB1-GB1 01. This result supports the claims for the differentiated sequestration of positively charged drug molecules. In addition, different antimicrobial effects can also be established by varying the sulfurization concentration of gentamicin.

Material and Methods:

[0064] Region-Selective Desulfation of Heparin (Produced from GB2 and GB3 from GB1)

[0065] For the synthesis of region-selective desulfated of heparin (GB2 and GB3), heparin (MW 14,000, Merck Millipore, manufacturer no: 375095, Germany, GB1) was first dissolved in deionized, ultrapure water and desalinated with the aid of an Amberlite IR-120H+ ion exchange column (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany). By addition of pyridine (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) to the heparin solution until pH 6 was reached, a heparin-pyridine salt was formed which, enriched by solvent evaporation in a B-490 rotary evaporator (Bchi, Germany), was subsequently lyophilized at 80 C. (GEA Lyovac GT2, Germany) and stored at 20 C. until further processing.

[0066] To prepare N-desulfated heparin (N-DSH, GB2), 1 g/L heparin-pyridine was dissolved in a mixture of DMSO and deionized ultrapure water (95:5) and incubated at 50 C. for 1.5 hours. The resulting solution was diluted 1:1 with deionized ultrapure water and adjusted to pH 9 with 1M sodium hydroxide solution (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany). After dialyzing the solution (Spectrum Labs, Germany, MWCO=8 kDa) against deionized, ultrapure water for three days, N-acetylation of desulfated heparin was performed. To this end, 10% v/v methanol (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) and 50 mM sodium carbonate (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) were added to the solution. The acetylation reaction was carried out for three hours with cooling to 4 C. and constant stirring at 400 rpm by addition of 400 l acetic anhydride (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) per 1 mg heparin every half hour and subsequent adjustment of the pH to 7.5 by addition of a 2 M sodium carbonate solution.

[0067] To prepare 60-N-desulfated heparin (60N-DSH, GB 3), 1 g/L heparin-pyridine was dissolved in a mixture of DMSO and deionized ultrapure water (95:5) and incubated at 90C for 24 hours. The resulting solution was diluted 1:1 with deionized, ultrapure water and adjusted to pH 9 with 1 M sodium hydroxide solution (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany). After dialyzing in a dialysis tubing (Spectrum Labs, Germany, MWCO=8 kDa) against deionized ultrapure water for three days, the 6ON-desulfated heparin was enriched by solvent evaporation B-490 (Bchi, Germany) and thereafter lyophilized (GEA Lyovac GT2, Germany).

Characterization of GB and UGB (see Table 2):

[0068] The molecular weight of the GB1-GB3 was determined by multi-angle light scattering at 690 nm on a Dawn HELEOS II (Wyatt Technology Europe, Germany). The values dn/dc required for the molecular weight determination were determined with an RI detector (Optilab T-rEX, Wyatt, Germany) at a wavelength of =690 nm. The RI increments, dn/dc, of 0.1351 mL.Math.g.sup.1 for GB1, GB2, and GB3 were needed for the evaluation of the light scattering experiments. The evaluation of the light scattering results for determining the molar mass was carried out with the Astra software, version 6.1 (Wyatt Technology, USA).

[0069] The degree of sulfation of the heparin derivatives (GB1-GB3) was determined by elemental analysis (Elementar, Vario MICRO cube, Germany) on the basis of the molar S:N ratio. Because each disaccharide unit contains exactly one N atom, the sulfation degree of GB1, GB2 and GB3 (number of sulfate groups/repeat unit) was determined by the molar ratio of S:N. Furthermore, the molar mass of the repeat unit was determined therefrom. The number of sulfate groups per repeat unit or per mole of polymer was calculated on this basis.

[0070] The molecular weight and the number of sulfonate groups per repeat unit or per mole of polymer of GB4 and GB5 (poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid)) are based on information from the manufacturer (Sigma-Aldrich, manufacturer no.: 434566, Germany).

[0071] The molecular weight and structure of UGB1, UGB2, UGB3, amino-, thiol- or maleimide-terminated four-arm PEG are based on information from the manufacturer (Jenkem Technology, USA). The molar mass and structure of UGB4 (enzymatically cleavable peptide-terminated four armed PEG) has been manufactured and used according to the process described by Tsurkan et al. 2013 (Adv. Mater. 2013, 25, 2606-2610).

Preparation of the Hydrogels Based on Heparin or Heparin Derivatives (See Also Table 1):

[0072] To prepare the hydrogels, heparin (GB1) (Merck-Millipore, manufacturer no.: 375095, Germany), desulfated heparin derivatives based on GB1 were dissolved by previously described methods according to the hydrogel type (see Table 2) as the charged component (GB), see region-selective desulfation, for GB2 and GB3) in deionized, ultrapure water at 4 C. for 30 seconds at 500 rpm with a vortex mixer (IKA, Germany). In addition, four-arm, amine-terminated PEG (MW 10,000, Jenkem Technology, USA), 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC; Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) and N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide (sulpho-NHS, Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) were dissolved in the same way for all types of hydrogels as UGB1. In order to ensure the complete solution of the hydrogel building blocks, these solutions were additionally treated for 5 min at 4 C. with an ultrasonic bath (RK 100H, Bandelin, Germany).

[0073] To activate the GB1 to GB 3, EDC and sulpho-NHS (2:1 ratio of EDC:sulpho-NHS) were added to the dissolved GB (4 mole sulpho-NHS, 8 mole EDC per mole of UGB1 of the final reaction mixture) and incubated at 4 C. according to the times listed in Table 4. After the activation time of GB1, GB2, GB3, the dissolved amino-terminated 4-arm PEG (UGB1) was additionally added and mixed for 30 seconds at 500 rpm with a vortex mixer (IKA, Germany).

Preparation of the Hydrogels Based on Poly (4-Styrenesulfonic Acid-Co-Maleic Acid) after Crosslinking Reaction 1 (VN1, See Also Table 1):

[0074] Poly (4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) with the molar ratio of 4-styrenesulfonic acid:maleic acid of 3:1 (Sigma-Aldrich, manufacturer no.: 434566, Germany, GB4, see Table 2) and with the molar ratio of 4-styrenesulfonic acid:maleic acid of 1:1, Sigma-Aldrich, manufacturer no: 434558, Germany, GB5, see Table 2) and the UGB1 (tetravalent PEG, amine-terminated, MW 10,000, Jenkem Technology, USA) were used to prepare covalently crosslinked hydrogels in the following way: GB4 or GB5 and UGB1 were each dissolved in one third of the total volume of the hydrogel mixture in deionized, ultra-pure water with the 3-fold concentration, as shown in Table 1, and additionally treated for 5 min at 4 C. with an ultrasonic bath (RK 100H, Bandelin, Germany). Thereafter, all solutions were tempered at 4C. for the additional steps: 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC, Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) and N-hydroxysulfosuccinimides (sulpho-NHS; Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) were also dissolved in one sixth of the total reaction mixture and tempered at 4 C. The molar ratio of UGB1:EDC:sulfoNHS is 1:8:4 (1:2:1 for each amino group of UGB1). In the next step, the EDC and the sulfo-NHS were added to the GB4 or GB5 and mixed by pipetting, and after a wait time of 30 seconds the reaction mixture was mixed on the vortex shaker (VWR, Germany) for 10 seconds, followed by another wait of 20 seconds. After this procedure, with a total activation time of 1 min, the UGB1 on the vortex shaker was pipetted to the activated GB4 or GB5 and then mixed with the vortex shaker for another 10 sec. The final reaction mixture (the concentrations of UGB1 and GB4 or GB5 now correspond to the concentrations given in Table 1) could now be poured by pipetting into arbitrary forms, with the gelation taking place by polymerization over a period of 12 hours. Subsequently, the hydrogels were completely swollen in phosphate buffered saline solution by repeated solution exchange over several hours prior to further use or characterization of the hydrogels.

Preparation of the Hydrogels for the Cell Culture with Human Endothelial Cells:

[0075] For the culture of human endothelial cells, surface-bound gels having a final thickness of about 100 m were formed by pipetting 11 l of the final reaction mixture/cm.sup.2 onto glass coverslips. The glass coverslips were previously coated with a thin film of poly (ethylene-old-maleic anhydride) according to the procedure of Pompe et. al. Biomacromolecules 2003, 4, 1072-1079 to ensure covalent bonding of the hydrogel. For modification with RGD peptides, the shaped hydrogels swollen in phosphate-buffered saline solution with EDC/sulfo-NHS were dissolved at a concentration of 50 mM EDC and 25 mM sulpho-NHS in 1/15 M phosphate-buffered saline solution at 4 C. and remaining carboxyl groups of GB4 or GB5 were activated for 20 min and then rinsed with borate buffer (100 mM, pH 8.0, 4 C.). Subsequently, the activated hydrogels were reacted with a solution having a concentration of 50 mg/ml of the peptide sequence H2N-GWGGRGDSP-CONH2 (Peptides International, Louisville, Ky., USA) dissolved in borate buffer (100 mM, pH 8.0) at room temperature for 2 hours and then washed excessively with phosphate-buffered saline.

Cell Culture:

[0076] Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs, Lonza, Germany) were passaged on Promocell C-22010 supplemented with Promocell C-22010 (PromoCell GmbH, Germany) at 37 C. and 5% CO.sub.2 on fibronectin-coated cell culture flasks until reaching 80% confluency. Cells from passage 2 to 6 were used in subsequent experiments.

[0077] The RGD-functionalized surface-bound hydrogels were incubated with VEGF-A and FGF-2 at a concentration of 0.565 g per cm 2 hydrogel surface at RT for 18 hours and then washed 2 with phosphate buffered saline.

[0078] 50,000 cells/cm.sup.2 were cultured on the hydrogels functionalized with RGD- and VEGF-165 and FGF-2 in Promocell medium without the supplemental mix. After 24 hours of culturing, the cells were washed, fixed and characterized by light microscopy (Olympus IX73 inverted microscope, Hamburg, Germany). The aspect ratio was determined after measuring individual cells with Fiji image processing software by dividing the cell length by the cell width. The circularity was determined by means of Fiji image processing software according to the following formula: circularity=4.Math..Math.(cell area/perimeter).sup.2. In each case, 20 cells per image were measured on n=10 independent samples. Statistical evaluation with the GraphPad Prism software and a one-way Anova test revealed significant differences for all conditions studied.

Preparation of the Hydrogels Based on Poly (4-Styrenesulfonic Acid-Co-Maleic Acid) after Crosslinking Reaction 2 (VN2, See Also Table 1):
Derivatization of Poly (4-Styrenesulfonic Acid-Co-Maleic Acid) with maleimide Groups:

[0079] For the formation of hydrogels according to the crosslinking reaction 2, the GB4 or GB5 must first be functionalized with N-(2-aminoethyl) maleimide trifluoroacetate (Sigma, Germany). For this purpose, 500 mg (25 mole) of the respective GB4 or GB5 were dissolved in 2.7 ml deionized, ultrapure water and stirred on ice for 10 min. The sample container is a 25 ml snap-cover glass. Subsequently, 65.14 mg of NHS (0.30 mmole) were dissolved in 400 l and 115.02 mg (0.60 mmole) of EDC dissolved in 200 l of ice-cold deionized ultrapure water were added to the GB4 or GB5 solution and waited for 5 min. In the next step, 76.25 mg (0.30 mmole) of N-(-2-aminoethyl) maleimide trifluoroacetate dissolved in 200 l of MilliQ water were added dropwise over 40 seconds after the completed activation time to activated GB4 or GB5. The reaction mixture is stirred on ice for another 10 min. Finally, the ice bath is removed and the mixture is stirred overnight at room temperature. The product is placed in a dialysis tubing with an exclusion size of MWCO=5 kDa. The dialysis takes place over two days; on the first day, the dialysis is performed against 2.5 liters of mono-molar sodium chloride solution for 6 h. Here, the solution is exchanged after every 2 hours. After 6 h, the dialysis is then carried out overnight against deionized, ultrapure water. On the second day, the dialysis is carried out for 8 h against deionized, ultrapure water, the water being exchanged after every 2 hours. In the last step, the solution is freeze-dried.

Size-Exclusion Chromatography for Characterization of GB4/GB5-Malemide Derivatives:

[0080] The size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) is used to determine the number of maleimide groups per GB4 or GB5 molecule. For this purpose, the peptide RGD-SP (M=990 g/mole) is coupled to the GB4/GB5-maleimide derivatives in various excesses. The examined molar RGD SP excesses are in this case 6.8, 10 or 12 with respect to the GB4 or GB5. Initially, a calibration is performed by mixing 35 l of the respective RGD-SP concentration with 35 l of phosphate-buffered saline solution in a sample vessel.

[0081] For this study, a BioSEP-SEC S2000 column from Phenomnex (Germany) used, in which the HPLC system Agilent 1100 (Germany) is inserted. The eluent is phosphate-buffered saline solution at a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min. The injection volume is 50 l.

[0082] At the same elution conditions, the determination of the maleimide groups is also carried out. In each case, 35 l of an RGD concentration are mixed with 35 l of the GB4/GB5-maleimide derivatives solution in the sample vessel. The method allows an exact determination of the conversion of maleimide with GB4 or GB5.

Preparation of the Hydrogels Based on Poly (4-Styrenesulfonic Acid-Co-Maleic Acid) Derivatives after Crosslinking Reaction 2 (VN2, See Also Table 1):

[0083] GB4/GB5 Maleimide derivatives and four-arm, thiol-terminated PEG (UGB2, Mw=10,000 Da, Jenchem, USA, Table 2) are dissolved in phosphate-buffered saline solution at twice the concentration mentioned in Table 1. Thereafter, equal volumes of both components are pipetted into a micro-reaction vessel and shaken for 10 sec on the vortex shaker. Subsequently, a defined volume of the reaction mixture is removed and placed on a 9 mm diameter glass coverslip coated with Sigma Cote. Another cover slip, coated with Sigma Cote, is placed on the drop. The coverslips are removed after 30 minutes and the gel slice is swollen for 12 hours in phosphate buffered saline solution. At high UGB2 concentrations, the pH of the UGB2 can be adjusted to between 5-7 pH with 1M HCl to achieve optimal gelation.

Production of the Hydrogels for Cell Culture with Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in 3D:

[0084] Matrix metalloprotease (MMP) cleavable hydrogels were prepared using UGB4 (Table 4, synthesized according to the procedure described by Tsurkan et al., Adv. Mater. 2013, 25 (18), 2606-2610) in place of UGB2 according to the aforementioned method.

[0085] For this purpose, the cells were suspended in the GB4 or G B5 derivative, and the hydrogels were formed by mixing following the aforedescribed method, and swollen immediately after 5 min gelation time in phosphate buffered saline solution and cell culture medium.

Cell Culture:

[0086] Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs, ATCC, isolated from adipose tissue, Germany) were cultured in DMEM with 10% fetal calf serum and 1% penicillin/streptomycin under standard culture conditions (5% CO.sub.2 and 37 C.). MSCs of passages 2 to 4 were used in the experiments.

[0087] GB-4 or GB-5 derivatives and UGBs were mixed with 1 mole of CGWGGRGDSP per mole of GB and dissolved in phosphate buffered saline solution (the concentration of GB4 or GB5 derivatives was 3 times the concentration shown in Table 1). After mixing, the solution was incubated for 10-15 min at 37 C., and a concentrated cell suspension was then mixed in one third of the final gel volume with 6106 cells/ml extrapolated to the final reaction mixture. UGB4 (3-fold concentration of Table 1) was dissolved in another third of the total gel volume in phosphate-buffered saline solution and added to the mixture of GB4/5 derivatives with cells and intermixed by pipetting. After gelation for 5 min, the aforedescribed cell culture medium was added and the hydrogels were incubated for 24 h at 37 C. as previously described.

[0088] PrestoBlue Test: The PrestoBlue test is performed after an incubation time of 24 h following culturing of the cells in the hydrogels. To this end, 10% solution of the PrestoBlue dye dissolved in cell culture medium is added to each hydrogel sample and incubated in microtiter plates for 1 h at 37 C. Subsequently, the fluorescence is measured on the microplate photometer (Tecan Spark, Germany). The excitation wavelength is 560 nm and the fluorescence was measured at a wavelength of 590 nm. The metabolic activity of the cells was indicated by the relative fluorescence values (RFUs). 10 Independent experiments with 4 subject determinations (n=40) were evaluated and significant differences (One Way Anova) were found for all conditions.

Antibacterial Inhibition Zone Assay:

[0089] Hydrogel discs (60 l) were incubated in 1 ml of 50 g/ml gentamycin (Sigma Aldrich, Germany) for 18 hours and then washed twice with phosphate-buffered saline solution. The antimicrobial activity of the gentamycin-charged hydrogels was determined by an inhibition zone assay. For this purpose, Luria broth (LB) agar (Sigma Aldrich, Munich, Germany) plates were prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions. Escherichia coli K12 DH5 (DSMZ, Germany) and Staphylococcus epidermidis PCI 1200 (ATCC, USA) cultures after 12 h growth were diluted to 0.1 at 600 nm and the optical density (OD) was measured. 250 l of these bacterial suspensions were applied on the respective plates. A sterile cotton cloth was used to distribute the bacteria evenly. Hydrogels UGB1-GB1 01, UGB2-GB4 20 and UGB2-GB5 23 as well as UGB2-UGB3 26, each charged or uncharged with gentamicin, were placed in the four corners on the AGAR plate and the plates were incubated overnight at 37 C. Thereafter, the inhibition zone was measured with a digital caliper. 10 Independent experiments with 3 subject definitions (n=30) were evaluated and significant differences (One Way Anova) were found for all conditions.

Determination of the Physical-Chemical Properties of the Hydrogels:

[0090] To determine the physical properties of the various hydrogel types, 67 l of unpolymerized hydrogel solution were in each case polymerized between two 9 mm glass slides (Menzel Glser, Germany) treated with Sigmacote (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) for 16 h at room temperature and the resulting gel slices were then removed from the glass slides. The diameter of the gel slices was optically determined with a scanner of the type FLA-3100 (Fujitsu, Japan) (diameter in the unswollen state). Thereafter, the gel slices were swollen in phosphate-buffered saline solution (PBS), 0.9% NaCl buffered to pH 7.4 (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany), for 24 h (physiological conditions) and again measured with the scanner of the FLA type. 3100 (Fujitsu, Japan) (diameter in the swollen state). The swelling of the hydrogels was determined from the determined diameters according to the following equation:

[00001]$\mathrm{Swelling}=\mathrm{diameter}.Math..Math.\mathrm{of}.Math..Math.\mathrm{the}.Math..Math.\mathrm{swollen}.Math..Math.\mathrm{hydrogel}.Math.^.Math.3/\mathrm{diameter}.Math..Math.\mathrm{of}.Math..Math.\mathrm{the}.Math..Math.\mathrm{unswollen}.Math..Math.\mathrm{hyudrogel}.Math.^.Math.3,.Math.\mathrm{Swelling}=\frac{{\left(\mathrm{diameter}.Math..Math.\mathrm{of}.Math..Math.\mathrm{the}.Math..Math.\mathrm{swollen}.Math..Math.\mathrm{hydrogel}\right)}^3}{{\left(\mathrm{diameter}.Math..Math.\mathrm{of}.Math..Math.\mathrm{the}.Math..Math.\mathrm{unswollen}.Math..Math.\mathrm{hydrogel}\right)}^3}$

see Table 1.

[0091] The reported data are each obtained by averaging (MW) from at least four independent samples. In addition, the standard deviation (SD) was specified.

[0092] Furthermore, the storage modulus and loss modulus of the hydrogels were determined by oscillatory rheometry (in kilopascals) using a shear rheometer of the type Ares from TA Instruments United Kingdom. For this purpose, 8 mm slices were punched from hydrogels swollen under physiological conditions (phosphate-buffered saline solution (PBS, 0.9% NaCl buffered to pH 7.4 (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany)) for 24 h and measured in a 9 mm plate-plate measurement setup with increasing frequency of 1-100 rad/s at room temperature with low deformation (2%), and the average value was determined over the entire frequency range (1 measurement value per sample). The reported values are the average values of four independently prepared hydrogel disks and of the standard deviation are given. The storage modulus of the four hydrogel types was given in Table 1, and the loss modulus was smaller by several orders of magnitude (data not shown).

[0093] Table 1 shows the physical-chemical properties of the hydrogels.

[0094] The mesh size of the hydrogels can be derived from the experimentally determined storage modulus based on the rubber elasticity theory using the following formula (Polymer Physics, Michael Rubinstein and Ralph H. Colby, 2006, Oxford University Press, Oxford):

[00002]$={\left(\frac{G^{}.Math.N_A}{\mathrm{RT}}\right)}^{-1/3}.$

wherein G is the measured storage modulus, N.sub.A is the Avogadro constant, R is the universal gas constant and T is the temperature (in Kelvin).

[0095] To determine the binding properties of the different hydrogel types, unpolymerized hydrogel solutions were polymerized for 16 h at room temperature between two 5 mm glass slides treated with Sigmacote (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) (Menzel Glasses) and subsequently swollen for 24 h in phosphate-buffered saline solution (PBS), 0.9% NaCl buffered to pH 7.4 (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany). The total volume was adjusted accordingly to ensure equal molar quantities of GB1, GB2, GB3, and GB4 in the four hydrogel types (see Table 4). For the binding (sequestration) studies, the respective hydrogel disks were incubated for 24 h in 0.5 ml protein LoBind reaction vessels (Eppendorf Tubes, Germany) with the protein mixture corresponding to Table 3 dissolved in 400 l PBS with 1% (m/v) bovine serum albumin (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) and 0.05% (m/v) Proclin 300 (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) (corresponds to solution after incubation 2). For preparing the protein mixture, ProcartaPlex Standard A, B and C (ebioscience, Germany) was dissolved according to the manufacturer's instructions and supplemented with the proteins DKK1 (manufacturer no: 120-30, Peprotech, Germany), sclerostin (manufacturer no: 1406-ST, Peprotech, Germany) and TGFb1 (manufacturer 100-21, Peprotech, Germany). The individual concentrations are shown in Table 7 (corresponds to solution before incubation 1).

[0096] The solutions 1 and 2 were stored at 80 C. until the protein concentration was measured. To determine the protein concentrations in the solutions 1 and 2, the samples were measured according to the manufacturer's instructions with ProcartaPlex Human Chemokine Panel 1 (ebioscience, Germany) in combination with the corresponding ProcarteaPlex Simplex kits on a device of the type Bioplex 200 (Biorad, Germany).

[0097] The binding (sequestration) of the signaling molecules was determined from the determined concentrations of solution 1 and 2 according to the following equation: binding in %=(1 concentration in solution 2 (after incubation)/concentration in solution 1 (before incubation))100.

[0098] Table 4 shows the activation time of the carboxyl groups of GB1 to 4 in min and the gel volume used for the binding studies.

[0099] The sulfated or sulfonated hydrogels are characterized by their charge distribution at the charged building block (GB) in mole sulfate or sulfonate groups per mole of polymer, and by the concentration of sulfate or sulfonate groups in the hydrogel volume swollen under physiological conditions in mmole sulfate or sulfonate/ml of hydrogel, and the number of sulfate or sulfonate groups per WE divided by the molar mass of the WE in the specified regions. The calculation was carried out based on the molar concentrations of the hydrogel building blocks during hydrogelation (see Table 1) and the volume swelling (Table 1), assuming that the hydrogel building blocks are quantitatively built into the network.

[0100] The concentration of sulfate or sulfonate groups in the unswollen hydrogel was calculated from the concentration of the GBs in the unswollen hydrogelnumber of repeat unitsnumber of sulfate or sulfonate groups per repeat unit. The concentration of sulfate or sulfonate in the swollen gel (Table 1) was calculated from the concentration of sulfate or sulfonate groups in the unswollen hydrogel divided by the swelling (see Table 1).

[0101] Extraction experiments have not yielded any measurable elution of the gel components, so that the assumption of complete incorporation of the gel components is considered justified.

[0102] Table 3 shows the percentage of bound quantities of signaling molecules in the hydrogels normalized to the concentration of soluble factors prior to incubation, as previously discussed. The percentages refer to percent by mass.

[0103] The molecular size of the substances, which are also referred to as signal substances or factors, is expressed in kilo daltons (kDa).

[0104] The proteins (signaling molecules) are uniquely assigned by way of abbreviations (Table 3) and the UniProt Identification Numbers (Uniprot ID) of the Universal Protein Resource database (UniProt; http://www.uniprot.org/).

[0105] The isoelectric point (IEP) and molar mass were determined based on the fully biologically processed amino acid sequence using the program ExPASy ProtParm (http://web.expasy.org/protparam/; reference: Gasteiger, E. et al., The Proteomics Protocols Handbook 571-607 (2005)).

[0106] The structural parameters of the proteins were determined using the database ExPASy PROSITE based on the UniProt identification numbers (http://prosite.expasy.org/; Sigrist, C. J. A. et al., New and continuing developments at ExPASy PROSITE; References: (1) Nucleic Acids Res 41, (2013); (2) Sigrist, C. J. A. et al., PROSITE: a documented database using patterns and profiles as motif descriptors. Brief. Bioinform., 3, 265-274 (2002)).