Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition最新文献

Burn wounds encompass skin injuries resulting from exposure to thermal, cryogenic, electrical, chemical, radioactive, and frictional agents. Disruption of the skin barrier and an exaggerated inflammatory response contribute to the impaired healing of these wounds. With the development of burn wound treatment technology, the importance of comfortable treatment for burn wound is becoming increasingly prominent. In this paper, we designed a multifunctional wound dressing based on silicone gel. This dressing incorporated the analgesic drug prilocaine into the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) coating to provide pain relief. This ensures prolonged and controlled drug release, achieving effective analgesia and wound protection. We used positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning to compare pain levels in rats, and favorable results were obtained in animal experiments. The PET/CT results showed a significant decrease in pain indicators in the experimental group compared to the control group, confirming that the analgesic function of the dressing designed in this study is effective. In conclusion, our study provides a new perspective on burn wound dressings and offers a potential new approach to alleviating severe pain associated with burn wounds.

Current alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) materials face unresolved trade-offs between mechanical stability, bioactivity, and clinical operability. To address this, we developed a fish-derived methacrylated gelatin (FGelMA) hydrogel composited with magnesium silicate (MS) microparticles combining the low immunogenicity of FGelMA with the dual osteo-angiogenic potential of MS. To characterize the physical properties of this material, the composite hydrogels (MS/FGelMA) were tested using a mechanical tester and a rheometer, and then its biocompatibility and in vitro osteogenic properties were analyzed using bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in a three-dimensional environment. In vivo model was further established to evaluate the effect of MS/FGelMA on ARP in SD rats. The results indicated that MS/FGelMA hydrogels exhibited rapid crosslinking within 20 s (365 nm UV, 10 mW/cm²), excellent shear-thinning behavior enabled precise defect adaptation, enhanced mechanical robustness, improved osteogenesis and angiogenesis capacity, especially for the optimized 1%MS/15%FGelMA formulation. 1%MS/15%FGelMA had compressive strength of 231 ± 10.149 kPa (378.69% of pure 15%FGelMA), and 2.3-4.1 folds upregulation of osteogenic markers (RUNX2/ALP/OCN) and angiogenic marker (VEGF) in rat BMSCs cultured in 3D hydrogels compared with that in pristine FGelMA hydrogel. Micro-CT analysis revealed 1%MS/15%FGelMA had socket volume preservation of 61% (vs. 46% in controls) at 3 weeks and had bone density of 75% (vs. 62% in controls) at 6 weeks. In general, this species-independent, chairside-applicable platform demonstrates superior clinical translation potential for complex ARP scenarios.

Embedding natural products into chitosan nanoparticles (CNP) is an effective way to produce a novel combination with better antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Therefore, this study aims to incorporate carob honey (CH) into CNP, determine its potential antimicrobial along with antiproliferative activities, by well diffusion and MTT cell viability assays, respectively. Successful loading of CH in CNP was confirmed after due characterization. The nanoparticles, synthesized by ionic gelation method, produced a small (101.3 ± 4.13 nm), stable (+27.27 ± 0.95 mV), and monodispersed (0.2265 ± 0.0027) CH-loaded CNP (CHCNP). The best antibacterial activity occurred in Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) (23 ± 0 mm to 16 ± 1.7 mm) followed by Escherichia coli (E. coli) (18 ± 2.0 mm to 10 ± 1 mm). Meanwhile, Aspergillus niger (A. niger) and Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) were evenly inhibited with inhibition zones in the range of 15 ± 3 mm to 7 ± 0.8 mm and 15 ± 5 mm to 9 ± 1.4 mm, respectively. CHCNP showed a remarkable cytotoxic effect on MDA-MB-231 according to concentration and time, with IC₅₀ of 25 ± 5 to 18 ± 2.6 μg/mL within 24-72 h. These findings demonstrated the feasibility of loading CH in CNP to form a nanoformulation that could potentially serve as a target-specific therapeutic agent in the treatments of microbial infections and breast cancer. However, there is a need for further research on the safety, dosage optimization, in vivo studies and mechanisms of action of the nanoparticles.

4D printing of alginate hydrogels has emerged as a transformative strategy in tissue engineering, enabling the fabrication of stimuli-responsive scaffolds that recapitulate the temporal and spatial complexities of native tissues. Leveraging alginate's tunable crosslinking, biocompatibility, and easy modification, recent research has demonstrated the successful design of constructs capable of programmable shape morphing in response to physiological stimuli. This review highlights recent advances in polymer design, including methacrylated, oxidized, and ligand-functionalized alginate derivatives, and cutting-edge 4D printing technologies such as extrusion-based and photopolymerization-based printing technologies. Notably, these systems have shown promising outcomes in regenerating cartilage, bone, vascular, and neural tissues. However, key challenges remain, including the standardization of shape-morphing quantification, enhancement of mechanical robustness, improvement of host tissue integration, and the replication of native tissue complexity. This review concludes with a critical evaluation of current limitations and future directions, highlighting the potential of integrating 4D alginate hydrogel systems with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, organoid models, and bioelectronic interfaces to accelerate innovation and broaden their application in tissue engineering. By synthesizing recent advancements and offering insights into the implementation of 4D alginate hydrogels, this review aims to stimulate continued progress in this rapidly evolving field.

The phytochemicals offer enormous therapeutic promise for treating a variety of illnesses, without serious side effects. Every country is resorting to self-medication in the form of herbal medicines in an effort to obtain healthcare beyond the conventional bounds of modern medicine. Bioavailability and site-specific targeting are the only factors that determine its effectiveness. Poor absorption rate of phytoconstituents is due to low lipid solubility, large molecular weight, and presence of multi-ring polyphenols in their structures. A combination of solid and liquid lipids in an appropriate ratio becomes nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) that overcomes the limitations of poor absorption. In this review, NLC containing various phytoconstituents are overviewed with special emphasis on methods of preparation, various examples of solid and liquid lipids and outcomes which improved absorptions, bioavailability, minimum particle size, appropriate polydispersibility index and entrapment efficiencies. So, to encourage their continued usage in the future, this study will give a synopsis of the present status of NLCs containing phytoconstituents, including their formulations, modern processes, and uses in oral drug administration.

In this study, we fabricated composite scaffolds containing micro-fibrillated cellulose (MFC), chitosan (CS), and hydroxyapatite (HAp) were fabricated using the freeze-drying technique. N-Boc-L-cysteine methyl ester (NBLCME) was synthesized and incorporated into the composite scaffold (CS/MFC/HAp) at different concentrations (20-100µg/ml). The composite scaffolds were characterized by SEM and FTIR results. Interconnected porous structure showed that the scaffolds had 80-90% porosity with a pore diameter range of 100-450µm and fiber lengths of 6.1 -11.87 µm. FTIR analysis confirmed the interaction between CS/MFC/HAp and NBLCME. The treated scaffolds exhibited sustained drug delivery following Fickian diffusion behavior (n ≤ 0.45). The biological study of treated scaffolds on human osteosarcoma cells (MG63 cell line) was evaluated by examining cell viability, ALP, ARS activities, and cell adhesion. The cytotoxicity of the treated scaffolds showed no cytotoxic effects on the MG63 cell line. ALP and ARS activities showed significantly enhanced phosphate and calcium deposition on the scaffold. Taken together, the result suggested that the fabricated composite scaffold (CS/MFC/HAp) incorporated with NBLCME showed excellent properties and its potential for bone-related applications.

Tumor cells usually highly expressed reducing glutathione that can break out disulfide bond. In this article, a novel cyclodextrin-containing thermo/redox dual-responsive polymer, PNIPAM-SS-β-CD, was synthesized by copolymerization between monomers of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and mono-methacrylated β-cyclodextrin mediated by disulfide bond (MA-SS-β-CD). The dual- responsive polymer has a weight-average molecular weight (M_w) of 53.75 kDa with 45.5 wt% β-CD content, and the polymerization degree ratio of the two structural units form NIPAM and MA-SS-β-CD in the polymer is about 9.26. The polymer can dissolve in water to form hydrogel with a regulating phase transition temperature from 33 to 36 °C. Cytotoxicity assays and hemolysis tests respectively demonstrated over 95% cell viability and no significant hemolytic activity, indicating its superior biocompatibility. Curcumin was used as a model to evaluate drug loading and in vitro release behavior of the thermo/redox dual-responsive polymer. It was revealed that the copolymer (PNIPAM-SS-β-CD) shows a 5.5 folds higher loaded amount and a slower drug release over 24 h than that of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM). Notably, the polymer exhibited rapid drug release through disulfide bond cleavage in response to reduced glutathione (GSH, 3 mM), highlighting its potential for targeted cancer therapy.

Nanofibers have been investigated for the possible topical delivery of medicines, one of the nanostructure-based drug delivery strategies produced by nanotechnology. Filaments or thread-like structures in the nanometer size range are called nanofibers, and they are made from a variety of polymers, including synthetic and natural polymers, or a combination of both. The polymers, preparation methods, and design specifications all affect the nanofibers' diameter or size. When creating nanofibers, the four main processing methods phase separation, self-assembly, template synthesis, and electrospinning are most frequently employed. The morphology and characterization parameters of nanofibers require a multimethod approach due to their unique structure. Large-scale manufacturing of nanofibers with the required qualities is still problematic, though, because popular electrospinning techniques have drawbacks like low yield, high voltage requirements, and trouble accomplishing in situ nanofiber deposition on different substrates. This study focuses on the latest clinical trials, applications, production techniques, and patents of nanofibers for vitiligo. They are becoming more popular as drug delivery vehicles, and the skin's enormous surface area makes it a potentially effective method for topical medication solutions for a variety of skin conditions, including vitiligo, psoriasis, skin cancer, wounds, bacterial and fungal infections, etc.

ABSTARCTPeriosteum plays an important role in the growth and regeneration of bone tissue. The development of artificial periosteum has attracted researchers' interest. Based on the sensitivity of bone tissue to electrical stimulation (ES), the development of electroconductive artificial periosteum is particularly crucial. In this study, an electroconductive liquid metal (LM) based artificial periosteum scaffold was prepared. The effect of the electroconductive artificial periosteum combined with ES on the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) was explored. Furthermore, the electroconductive artificial periosteum was coated on the surface of decellularized bone matrix (DBM) to prepare the electroconductive bone repair scaffold. The effect of electroconductive bone repair scaffold combined with ES on the repair of large bone defects was explored in a rabbit radial defects model. The results indicated that the electroconductive artificial periosteum demonstrated favorable biocompatibility and, when combined with ES, could enhance the osteogenic differentiation of BM-MSCs. The electroconductive bone repair scaffold combined with ES could promote the bone integration and bone regeneration of large bone defects. This study is expected to provide meaningful reference for the application of LM based electroconductive periosteum in bone regenerations.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurological disorder and the predominant form of dementia among the elderly. Berberine (BBR) is an approved drug for Alzheimer's disease (AD) that has demonstrated a substantial improvement in cognitive function, proficient management of neurobehavioral symptoms, and enhancement of performance in vital everyday activities. Nonetheless, the adverse effects of the drug encompass vomiting and nausea, considerable variations in blood concentrations, and inadequate patient adherence. Consequently, the primary objectives are to optimize the administration method and enhance therapeutic efficiency. Hence, we suggest utilizing a hierarchical hydrogel (HGL)-incorporated mesoporous silica nanocarrier (MSN) to incorporate BBR, aiming to reduce adverse effects in the stomach. These hydrogels facilitate the gradual release of drugs at a rate of 62% over a prolonged duration, aiming to decrease dose frequency, optimize the efficacy of drug administrations, and improve patient adherence. Due to these characteristics, drug-encapsulating MSN-BBR hydrogels can facilitate optimal drug administration and have developed into superior options for Alzheimer's disease therapy, with innovation promising effective treatment.