Comparison of visible and UVA phototoxicity in neural culture systems micropatterned with digital projection photolithography.

Photopolymerization provides a favorable method for hydrogel formation due to its simplicity, convenience, and versatility. However, the light exposure required to initiate photopolymerization is known to have a cytotoxic effect on encapsulated cells. Here, a 3D in vitro model of the nervous system microenvironment, micropatterned through the use of digital projection photolithography using a single hydrogel formulation that cross-links similarly under ultraviolet A (UVA, 315-400 nm) and visible light (400-700 nm) exposure, is presented. This setup allowed for the investigation of neuronal responses to different light wavelengths and exposure times during photoencapsulation, while ruling out effects due to the hydrogel formulation or photoinitiators used. Cellular studies-including neurite viability, DNA fragmentation, and neurite outgrowth for both UVA and visible light irradiation, the most common spectra used in biological photomicropatterning applications-were performed to assess the effect of light source on neuronal cultures. These studies indicated that while cell death occurs after exposure to either spectrum, visible light was less phototoxic than UVA, when using comparable levels of irradiation, and interestingly, glial cells were more susceptible to phototoxicity than neuronal cells. Thus, while utilizing visible light for micropatterning and cell encapsulation for nervous system applications is beneficial, it is helpful to keep the light exposure low to ensure optimal neuronal survival and growth. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 107A: 134-144, 2019.