Evaluation of the biocompatibility of novel peptide hydrogel in rabbit eye.

A peptide containing a RGD (arginine-glycine-aspartic acid) sequence as well as a hydrophobic N-fluorenyl-9-methoxycarbonyl (FMOC) tail was prepared via a standard FMOC solid-phase peptide synthesis technique. The supramolecular self-assembly of such peptide through pi-pi stacking from FMOC tail can transfer the peptide aqueous solution into a three-dimensional hydrogel. The biocompatibility of the peptide hydrogel was evaluated via clinical follow-up and histological analysis. The data obtained demonstrated that the peptide hydrogel exhibited good biocompatibility when injected to the subconjunctival space and anterior chamber of rabbit, indicating a potential application in ophthalmology as an implantable drug delivery system for the treatment to ocular anterior segment diseases such as glaucoma, iridocyclitis, and keratopathy.