1. Journal Source: Biomaterials

2. Title: An antioxidant, injectable hydrogel with mitochondrial fusion effect promotes inflamed dental pulp repair via immunomodulation and reactive oxygen species scavenging

3. Research Highlights: In this study, an injectable CSMAGA hydrogel loaded with the mitochondrial fusion small molecule MASM7 was designed. It reprograms macrophage metabolism and polarization through mitochondrial fusion while scavenging reactive oxygen species. It synergistically ameliorates the inflammatory microenvironment of pulpitis via two pathways, immunomodulation and antioxidation, and facilitates the repair of injured dental pulp tissue.

4. Innovations: The introduction of mitochondrial fusion regulation into the repair of pulp inflammation; elucidation of the mechanism underlying glycolysis-oxidative phosphorylation metabolic reprogramming in macrophages via metabolic flux analysis; integration of dual functions of immunoregulation and antioxidation into a single photocrosslinkable injectable hydrogel; verification of the regulatory effects of the material on macrophage phenotypes and dentinogenesis in a rat pulpitis model.

5. Material Development (1) Materials: Chitosan was used as the matrix and grafted with methacrylic anhydride and gallic acid to synthesize the CSMAGA hydrogel, which was then loaded with MASM7 to obtain MASM7@CSMAGA. (2) Functions: It features injectability, in-situ photocrosslinking and biodegradability; it scavenges reactive oxygen species to relieve oxidative stress; the released MASM7 induces mitochondrial fusion, promotes macrophage polarization toward the M2 phenotype, and enhances the odontogenic differentiation capacity of dental pulp stem cells.

6. Extended Research Perspectives: The effects of MASM7 in other inflamed tissue injuries can be further explored; dental pulp organoids and human dental pulp explants can be adopted for mechanistic investigations; the drug release profile of the hydrogel can be optimized to match the local microenvironment of dental pulp.

#Hydrogel #DentalPulpRepair #MitochondrialFusion #MacrophagePolarization #BiomaterialsResearch #LiteratureSharing

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