Preventing Biological Tissue Adhesion

Abstract

Methods and materials for mitigating biological tissue adhesion are described herein. One method for mitigating adhesion to a biological tissue includes administering an effective amount of a self-assembling peptide solution to the biological tissue, wherein the self-assembling peptide is between about 7 amino acids and 32 amino acids in length and the self-assembling peptide solution forms a hydrogel under physiological conditions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for mitigating adhesion to a biological tissue, the method comprising administering an effective amount of a self-assembling peptide solution to the biological tissue, wherein the self-assembling peptide is between about 7 amino acids and 32 amino acids in length and the self-assembling peptide solution forms a hydrogel under physiological conditions, and wherein the hydrogel mitigates adhesion to the biological tissue. 
     
     
         2 . A method for mitigating adhesion between biological tissue, the method comprising administering an effective amount of a self-assembling peptide solution to a biological tissue at a surgical site, wherein the self-assembling peptide is between about 7 amino acids and 32 amino acids in length and the self-assembling peptide solution forms a hydrogel under physiological conditions, and wherein the hydrogel mitigates adhesion of another biological tissue to the biological tissue at the surgical site. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the biological tissue comprises an epicardium. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the biological tissue comprises an epicardium subjected to ablation, preferably ventricular tachycardia ablation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of any of  claims 1 - 4 , wherein the self-assembling peptide comprises about 12 to about 16 amino acids that alternate between hydrophobic and a hydrophilic amino acids. 
     
     
         6 . The method of any of  claims 1 - 4 , wherein the self-assembling peptide comprises a sequence selected from RADA, IEIK, TTTT, ATAT, TVTV, ASAS, SSSS, VVVTTTT, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of any of  claims 1 - 4 , wherein the self-assembling peptide comprises a sequence selected from (RADA) 4 , (IEIK) 3 I, and (KLDL) 3 . 
     
     
         8 . The method of any of  claims 1 - 7 , wherein the self-assembling peptide is about 0.1 to about 10 w/v % of the solution or about 0.1 to about 3.5 w/v % of the solution. 
     
     
         9 . The method of any of  claims 1 - 7 , wherein the self-assembling peptide is about 1, about 2.5, or about 3 w/v % of the solution. 
     
     
         10 . The method of any of  claims 1 - 9 , wherein the effective amount is approximately 0.1 mL per 1 cm 2  to approximately 5 mL per 1 cm 2  of target area. 
     
     
         11 . The method of any of  claims 1 - 9 , wherein the effective amount is approximately 1 mL per 1 cm 2  of target area. 
     
     
         12 . The method of any of  claims 1 - 11 , wherein the hydrogel is formed before administering the self-assembling peptide solution to target area. 
     
     
         13 . The method of any of  claims 1 - 11 , wherein the hydrogel is formed after administering the self-assembling peptide solution to target area. 
     
     
         14 . The method of any of  claims 1 - 13 , wherein the solution further comprises a biologically active agent. 
     
     
         15 . The method of any of  claims 1 - 13 , wherein the solution is substantially free of cells and/or drugs. 
     
     
         16 . The method of any one of  claims 1 - 15 , wherein the self-assembling peptide solution is administered in vivo. 
     
     
         17 . The method of any one of  claims 1 - 15 , wherein the biological tissue is a human tissue. 
     
     
         18 . Use of an effective amount of a self-assembling peptide solution for mitigating adhesion to a biological tissue, wherein the self-assembling peptide is between about 7 amino acids and 32 amino acids in length and the self-assembling peptide solution forms a hydrogel under physiological conditions, and wherein the hydrogel mitigates adhesion to the biological tissue. 
     
     
         19 . Use of an effective amount of a self-assembling peptide solution for mitigating adhesion to a biological tissue, wherein the self-assembling peptide is between about 7 amino acids and 32 amino acids in length and the self-assembling peptide solution forms a hydrogel under physiological conditions, and wherein the hydrogel mitigates adhesion of another biological tissue to the biological tissue at the surgical site. 
     
     
         20 . The use of  claim 16  or  17 , wherein the biological tissue comprises an epicardium. 
     
     
         21 . The use of  claim 16  or  17 , wherein the biological tissue comprises an epicardium subjected to ablation, preferably ventricular tachycardia ablation. 
     
     
         22 . The use of any of  claims 16 - 21 , wherein the self-assembling peptide comprises about 12 to about 16 amino acids that alternate between hydrophobic and a hydrophilic amino acids. 
     
     
         23 . The use of any of  claims 16 - 21 , wherein the self-assembling peptide comprises a sequence selected from RADA, IEIK, TTTT, ATAT, TVTV, ASAS, SSSS, VVVTTTT, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The use of any of  claims 16 - 21 , wherein the self-assembling peptide comprises a sequence selected from (RADA) 4 , (IEIK) 3 I, and (KLDL) 3 . 
     
     
         25 . The use of any of  claims 16 - 24 , wherein the self-assembling peptide is about 0.1 to about 10 w/v % of the solution or about 0.1 to about 3.5 w/v % of the solution. 
     
     
         26 . The use of any of  claims 16 - 24 , wherein the self-assembling peptide is about 1, about 2.5, or about 3 w/v % of the solution. 
     
     
         27 . The use of any of  claims 16 - 26  wherein the effective amount is approximately 0.1 mL per 1 cm 2  to approximately 5 mL per 1 cm 2  of target area. 
     
     
         28 . The use of any of  claims 16 - 26 , wherein the effective amount is approximately 1 mL per 1 cm 2  of target area. 
     
     
         29 . The use of any of  claims 16 - 28 , wherein the hydrogel is formed before administering the self-assembling peptide solution to target area. 
     
     
         30 . The use of any of  claims 16 - 28 , wherein the hydrogel is formed after administering the self-assembling peptide solution to target area. 
     
     
         31 . The use of any of  claims 16 - 30 , wherein the solution further comprises a biologically active agent. 
     
     
         32 . The use of any of  claims 16 - 30 , wherein the solution is substantially free of cells and/or drugs. 
     
     
         33 . The use of any one of  claims 16 - 32 , wherein the self-assembling peptide solution is administered in vivo. 
     
     
         34 . The use of any one of  claims 16 - 32 , wherein the biological tissue is a human tissue. 
     
     
         35 . The method of any of  claims 1 ,  2 ,  5 - 17  or the use of any of  claims 18 ,  19 ,  22 - 34 , wherein the hydrogel treats, prevents, and/or mitigates intra-abdominal adhesion formation. 
     
     
         36 . The method of any of  claims 1 ,  2 ,  5 - 17  or the use of any of  claims 18 ,  19 ,  22 - 34 , wherein the biological tissue comprises intraperitoneum, cecum, intestine, preferentially large intestine, and/or colon. 
     
     
         37 . The method of any of  claims 1 ,  2 ,  5 - 17  or the use of any of  claims 18 ,  19 ,  22 - 34 , wherein the hydrogel treats, prevents, and/or mitigates pelvic adhesion formation. 
     
     
         38 . The method of any of  claims 1 ,  2 ,  5 - 17  or the use of any of  claims 18 ,  19 ,  22 - 34 , wherein the hydrogel treats, prevents, and/or mitigates adhesion formation in an obstetric or gynecologic procedure. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the obstetric or gynecologic procedure comprises cesarean delivery, abdominal hysterectomy, preferentially myomectomy, ovarian cystectomy, or surgery for an invasive gynecologic malignancy. 
     
     
         40 . The method of any one of  claims 37 - 39 , wherein treating, preventing, and/or mitigating adhesion formation treats, prevents, and/or mitigates small bowel obstruction, infertility, chronic pain, and dyspareunia.