JOURNAL OF SHANDONG UNIVERSITY(NATURAL SCIENCE) ›› 2025, Vol. 60 ›› Issue (10): 117-126.doi: 10.6040/j.issn.1671-9352.0.2025.167

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Preparation of silk fibroin enhanced peptide self-assembled hydrogel and its application in the construction of tumor organoids

LIU Xinyi1, LI Jieling1, WANG Anhe1, LI Qi1, BAI Shuo1,2*   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China;
    2. School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Published:2025-10-17

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Abstract: Cancer is a major disease threatening human health. Traditional tumor research models such as cell lines and animal models have significant limitations, making the development of new research models an urgent need. Tumor organoid technology can accurately simulate tumor characteristics, but it relies on Matrigel with complex components, resulting in poor stability and reproducibility of the model. Peptide self-assembled hydrogels have become ideal alternatives to Matrigel due to their advantages such as good biocompatibility, clear components, and the ability to mimic the microstructures of natural extracellular matrices. However, their mechanical properties and biological stability are weak, making it difficult to meet the long-term culture requirements of organoids. This work innovatively introduced silk fibroin into the peptide self-assembled hydrogel system to optimize its performance and meet the matrix property requirements for organoid culture. Silk fibroin doping could enhance the interactions between short peptide molecules, improve the mechanical strength and biological stability of the hydrogel, and did not damage its biomimetic nanofibrous microstructure. Using this hydrogel to culture glioma organoids could form hundred-micron-level organoids within one week, and the cell viability within the organoids was as high as 90%. This study provided a new solution to the matrix material problem in traditional tumor organoid culture, was expected to improve the quality and stability of tumor organoid culture, and provided a more reliable model for tumor research and precision medicine.

Key words: peptide self-assembly, silk fibroin, composite hydrogel, tumor organoid, mechanical properties

CLC Number: 

  • O648
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