Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition最新文献

In this study, a bovine serum albumin-decorated zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8@BSA) was used to enhance the anticancer and antimetastatic properties of methotrexate. SEM, DLS, FT-IR, and XRD confirmed the physicochemical suitability of the developed nanoparticles. According to the SEM analysis, the mean size of ZIF-8 nanoparticles was 68.5 ± 13.31 nm. The loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency of MTX@ZIF-8@BSA were 28.77 ± 2.54% and 96.3 ± 0.67%, respectively. According to the in vitro hemolysis test, MTX@ZIF-8@BSA showed excellent blood compatibility. MTX@ZIF-8@BSA exhibited pH sensitivity, releasing more MTX at pH 5.4 (1.73 times) than at pH 7.4. The IC₅₀ value of MTX@ZIF-8@BSA on 4T1 cells was 32.7 ± 7.3 µg/mL after 48 h of treatment, outperforming compared to free MTX with an IC₅₀ value of 53.3 ± 3.7 µg/mL. Treatment with MTX@ZIF-8@BSA resulted in superior tumor growth suppression in tumor-bearing mice than free MTX. Furthermore, based on histopathology tests, MTX@ZIF-8@BSA reduced the metastasis in lung and liver tissues. While there was not any noticeable toxicity in the vital organs of MTX@ZIF-8@BSA-receiving mice, free methotrexate resulted in severe toxicity in the kidneys and liver. According to the preliminary in vitro and in vivo findings, MTX@ZIF-8@BSA presents an attractive drug delivery system candidate for breast cancer due to its enhanced antitumor efficacy and lower toxicity.

Burn wounds are associated with infections, drug resistance, allergic reactions, odour, bleeding, excess exudates, and scars, requiring prolonged hospital stay. It is crucial to develop wound dressings that can effectively combat allergic reactions and drug resistance, inhibit infections, and absorb excess exudates to accelerate wound healing. To overcome the above-mentioned problems associated with burn wounds, SA/PVA/PLGA/Capparis sepiaria and SA/PVA/Capparis sepiaria nanofibers incorporated with Capparis sepiaria plant extract were prepared using an electrospinning technique. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the successful incorporation of the extract into the nanofibers without any interaction between the extract and the polymers. The nanofibers displayed porous morphology and a rough surface suitable for cellular adhesion and proliferation. SA/PVA/PLGA/Capparis sepiaria and SA/PVA/Capparis sepiaria nanofibers demonstrated significant antibacterial effects against wound infection-associated bacterial strains: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Mycobaterium smegmatis, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Proteus vulgaris, and Staphylococcus aureus. Cytocompatibility studies using HaCaT cells revealed the non-toxicity of the nanofibers. SA/PVA/PLGA/Capparis sepiaria and SA/PVA/Capparis sepiaria nanofibers exhibited hemostatic properties, resulting from the synergistic effect of the plant extract and polymers. The in vitro scratch wound healing assay showed that the SA/PVA/Capparis sepiaria nanofiber wound-healing capability is more than the plant extract and a commercially available wound dressing. The wound-healing potential of SA/PVA/Capparis sepiaria nanofiber is attributed to the synergistic effect of the phytochemicals present in the extract, their porosity, and the ECM-mimicking structure of the nanofibers. The findings suggest that the electrospun nanofibers loaded with Capparis sepiaria extract are promising wound dressings that should be explored for burn wounds.

The deterioration in the structure of thyroid hormones causes many thyroid-related disorders, which leads to a negative effect on the quality of life, as well as the change in metabolic rate. For the treatment of thyroid disorders, daily use of levothyroxine-based medication is essential. In the study, it is aimed to develop a polymeric nanocarrier that can provide controlled drug release of levothyroxine. In this respect, the p(HEMA-MAGA) nanopolymer was synthesized and then characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Zeta size analysis. The specific surface area of the nanopolymer was calculated as 587.68 m²/g. The pH, temperature, concentration, and time parameters were determined for levothyroxine binding to p(HEMA-MAGA) and optimum binding was determined as pH 7.4, 25 °C, 25 µg/mL concentration, and 30 min adsorption time. As a result of the release performed at pH 7.4, a release profile was observed which increased for the first 3 days and continued for 14 days. According to the results of MTT cell viability analysis, it was determined that the p(HEMA-MAGA) nanopolymeric carrier system had no cytotoxic effect. This developed polymer-based nanocarrier system is suitable for long-term and controlled release of levothyroxine. This is a unique and novel study in terms of developing poly hydroxyethylmethacrylate-co-methacryloyl glutamic acid-based polymeric nanoparticles for levothyroxine release.

In this study, to address the defects of sodium alginate (SA), such as its susceptibility to disintegration, silica was coated on the outer layer of sodium alginate hydrogel beads in order to improve its swelling and slow-release properties. Tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) was used as the hydrolyzed precursor, and the solution of silica precursor was prepared by sol-gel reaction under acidic conditions. Then SA-silica hydrogel beads prepared by ionic crosslinking method were immersed into the SiO₂ precursor solution to prepare SA-silica hydrogel beads. The chemical structure and morphology of the hydrogel beads were characterized by XRD, FTIR, and SEM, and the results showed that the surface of SA-silica beads was successfully encapsulated with the outer layer of SiO₂, and the surface was smooth and dense. The swelling experiments showed that the swelling performance effectively decreased with the increase of TEOS molar concentration, and the maximum swelling ratio of the hydrogel beads decreased from 41.07 to 14.3, and the time to reach the maximum swelling ratio was prolonged from 4 h to 8 h. The sustained-release experiments showed that the SA-silica hydrogel beads possessed a good pH sensitivity, and the time of sustained-release was significantly prolonged in vitro. Hemolysis and cytotoxicity experiments showed that the SA-silica hydrogel beads were biocompatible when the TEOS molar concentration was lower than 0.375 M. The SA-silica-2 hydrogel beads had good biocompatibility, swelling properties, and slow-release properties at the same time.

Emphasizing the viscoelasticity of ophthalmic gels is crucial for understanding the residence time, structure, and stability of hydrogels. This study primarily aimed to propose an innovative rheology analysis method for ophthalmic gels, considering complex eye movements. This method was applied to select ophthalmic gels with favorable rheological characteristics. Additionally, the physical characteristics and in vitro release of the selected Panax notoginseng total saponins (PNS) gel were demonstrated. The selected PNS gel significantly increased the activities of SOD and decreased intracellular levels of MDA, TNF-α, and IL-1β in H₂O₂-treated ARPE-19 cells. Finally, the optimal formulation was selected as a suitable platform for ophthalmic delivery and was shown to significantly rescue ARPE-19 cells from oxidative cellular damage.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes necessitating early intervention to impede progression, despite current clinical treatments focusing on advanced stages. Essential oils from Fructus Alpiniae zerumbet (EOFAZ) have demonstrated efficacy in protecting against high glucose (HG)-induced Müller cell activation and DR development. This study introduced a reactive oxidative species (ROS)-responsive drug delivery system (NPS_PHE@EOFAZ) targeting early DR stages and oxidative stress. Our engineered nanoparticles effectively deliver EOFAZ into HG-exposed Müller cells by detecting and responding to elevated oxidative stress levels. The NPS_PHE@EOFAZ significantly inhibited abnormal cell growth, reduced oxidative stress, and alleviated inflammation in vitro. In vivo experiments on diabetic mice with DR revealed that NPS_PHE@EOFAZ mitigated early pathological changes by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation while also alleviating organ damage in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney. These findings underscore the potential of NPS_PHE@EOFAZ as a promising antioxidant for early intervention in DR pathogenesis.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most complex diseases. After SCI, severe secondary injuries can cause intense inflammatory storms and oxidative stress responses, leading to extensive neuronal apoptosis. Effective regulation of inflammation and oxidative stress after SCI remains an unresolved challenge. In this study, resveratrol-loaded nanoparticles coated with neutrophil membranes (NMR) were prepared using the emulsion-solvent evaporation method and membrane encapsulation technology. Multifunctional biomimetic nanoparticles retain neutrophil membrane-related receptors and possess a strong adsorption capacity for inflammatory factors. As a drug carrier, NMR can sustainably release resveratrol for >72 h. Moreover, co-culture studies in vitro show that the NMR help regulate macrophage polarization to relieve inflammatory response, reduce intracellular reactive oxygen species by approximately 50%, and improve mitochondrial membrane potential to alleviate oxidative stress. After injecting NMR into the injury site, it reduces early apoptosis, inhibit scar formation, and promote neural network recovery to improve motor function. This study demonstrates the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects of NMR, thus providing a novel therapeutic strategy for SCI.