Cytocompatible Enzymatic Hydrogelation of Phenylboronic Acid‐Alginate via H ₂ O ₂ ‐Triggered Deboronation

ABSTRACT This study aims to establish a functional hydrogelation system that integrates both dynamic and static properties without the use of additives. Given the increasing demand for biocompatible and mechanically tunable hydrogels, a hydrogelation strategy to prepare hydrogels from a precursor containing 3‐aminophenylboronic acid (3APBA)‐grafted alginate (Alg‐3APBA) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) via a H 2 O 2 ‐triggered cascade reaction involving deboronation and subsequent HRP‐mediated crosslinking was developed. Because of the dynamic bonds between 3APBA and 1,2‐diol moieties in the alginate backbone, the obtained Alg‐3APBA precursor exhibited pH‐dependent viscoelasticity. At pH 7.4 and 8.0, in the presence of HRP, the Alg‐3APBA precursor formed phenol–phenol crosslinked hydrogels through the H 2 O 2 ‐triggered and HRP‐mediated reaction. Furthermore, HepG2 cells were viable and proliferated in the resulting Alg‐3APBA hydrogels prepared with H 2 O 2 (<10 m m ) without severe cytotoxicity. These findings highlight the potential of this dynamic‐to‐static transition hydrogelation approach as a cytocompatible and modular platform for future biofunctional materials.