A group of scientists from Singapore revealed that a bio-functional thermogel, is a form of synthetic polymer, helps to minimize retinal scarring induced by botched retinal detachment repair surgery in recent research.

Figure 1: A bio-functional thermogel to minimize retinal scarring.

Figure 1 shows that Proliferative vitreoretinopathy develops when retinal scarring stops the retina from repairing and sliding back into place, according to the study. It is estimated that it accounts for more than 75% of failure retinal detachment procedures and can lead to visual loss or blindness if not addressed. [1]

The team behind the development hails from A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) and Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI).

The research team demonstrated that a bio-functional thermogel alone is able to prevent retinal scarring in a pre-clinical model that mimics human disease. Using retinal cells, the team observed that the thermogel prevented the development of the scar membranes by modulating cellular behaviors such as proliferation and migration.

Genome-wide transcriptomic analysis to profile cellular gene expression, they revealed that the thermogel activated a protein called nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), to kickstart a series of chemical reactions to prevent scarring. [2]

“When we first developed this bio-functional thermogel at IMRE, we realized it was a significant step forward in developing next-generation biodegradable polymers. Its ability to mimic and substitute vitreous given the biocompatibility of the material, makes it useful for many other biomedical applications,” said Prof Loh Xian Jun.

The thermogel is currently being commercialized by Vitreogel Innovations Inc, an A*STAR spin-off that focuses on developing polymer-based therapeutics for ophthalmology indications.

Vitreogel Innovations Inc is an ISO 13485 (Medical Device Quality Systems) accredited company that is generating a clinical grade version of the polymer for first-in-man clinical trials.

Building on this work, the team will continue to test the safety and efficacy of this polymer for retinal detachment repair and PVR prevention using additional pre-clinical disease models.

Through their work, the team aims to engineer the next generation of polymers with targeted chemical modifications to elicit specific cellular behaviors and identify alternative applications of the thermogel beyond ophthalmology. [3]

References:

1. https://www.medicallyspeaking.in/doctor-news/ophthalmology/retinal-scarring/
2. https://www.dtnext.in/wellbeing/2022/07/04/scientists-develop-thermogel-that-helps-to-prevent-retinal-scarring
3. https://theprint.in/science/scientists-develop-unique-thermogel-to-help-prevent-scarring-of-retina/1032335/

Cite this article:

Sri Vasagi K (2022), A New Bio Functional Thermogel to Prevent Retinal Scarring, AnaTechMax, pp.230