Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition最新文献

Bone regeneration is frequently impaired by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and prolonged inflammation, which disrupt the immune microenvironment and hinder osteogenesis. The stimulator of interferon gene (STING) pathway is an innate immune pathway and a critical mediator of the inflammatory response, has been increasingly implicated in inflammatory bone loss and impaired repair. While STING inhibition represents a promising therapeutic strategy, its effective implementation within the bone microenvironment requires spatiotemporally controlled delivery. Here, we developed an injectable and photocrosslinkable hydrogel system (GMPP+H151) that integrates ROS-responsive scavenging with targeted STING inhibition to synergistically guide immune microenvironment remodeling and bone regeneration. The GMPP hydrogel was fabricated through dual crosslinking of phenylboronic acid (PBA)-modified gelatin (GelMA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), endowing it with self-healing properties and ROS-scavenging capacity. H151, a small molecule inhibitor of STING, was caged by PBA chemistry for on-demand release under oxidative stress. The GMPP+H151 can significantly reduce ROS levels in macrophages and promote their phenotypic differentiation from M1 to M2 by suppressing the STING pathway, downregulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, and upregulating anti-inflammatory factors. Furthermore, it efficiently enhanced survival, spreading, and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), leading to increased expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), and osteocalcin (OCN). This study presents a smart, multifunctional hydrogel drug delivery system that integrates immunomodulation and osteoinduction, offering a promising strategy for promoting osteogenic differentiation and in situ bone defect repair.

Smart and rapid wound healing has long been a significant challenge for the medical community. Recent advancements in biomaterials and manufacturing technologies are overcoming the limitations of traditional wound dressings. Notably, reversible light-responsive azobenzene derivatives in elastomer form are emerging as intelligent materials for this purpose. Their reversible photoisomerization properties have extensive applications in wound healing. This study systematically reviews the design principles, strategies, and mechanisms of smart elastomers based on drugs, as well as their applications in various stages of wound healing. When classifying drugs-releasing elastomers by response factors and loaded drugs, we emphasize design strategies based on physical blending and temperature or light microenvironments. Comparing smart elastomers to traditional polymer dressings, this review highlights how the dual presence of photoisomerization and dynamic bonds grants these polymers non-contact, reversible, intelligent adhesive properties. This unique combination enhances drugs delivery efficiency at wound sites while minimizing patient discomfort. The review discusses the advantages, challenges, and future prospects of smart elastomers in wound healing, offering new insights into intelligent drugs delivery systems for wound treatment.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a common cause of wound infections, resulting in symptoms such as redness, swelling, pain, and formation of pus. This group of bacteria has evolved resistance to several antibiotics used in human therapies, making it difficult to treat. Additionally, their ability to form biofilm on wound surfaces shields the bacteria from the host immune system and antibiotics, thereby hindering the healing process. To address this issue, we have developed and characterized a chitosan-alginate composite dressing incorporating lysostaphin (LST) and lyophilized platelet-rich fibrin (LPRF) to treat S. aureus infections and enhance wound healing. LST exhibits potent antibacterial activity against various strains of S. aureus, whereas LPRF promotes slow and sustained release of growth factors, namely PDGF, IGF and EGF. The prepared dressings were porous and FT-IR analysis confirms the incorporation of LST and LPRF into the chitosan-alginate dressing. Swelling and degradation studies of the prepared dressings showed better swelling ratio and controlled degradation. The prepared dressing is biocompatible and showed L929 cell attachment. Furthermore, the in vitro antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity of CA-LPRF-LST dressing was studied against S. aureus and clinical isolates of MRSA, which showed inhibition and biofilm disruption. Based on these in vitro studies, the developed CA-LPRF-LST dressing demonstrates promising antibacterial properties against S. aureus and biocompatibility by L929, suggesting its potential as for further investigation as a treatment for wound infections and healing.

In this study, polycaprolactone/gelatin (PG) scaffolds were produced using electrospinning and modified with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) to improve their biological and mechanical properties. TiO₂ was incorporated into the scaffolds using two approaches: blending within the electrospinning solution and surface coating, and their properties were compared. The morphological observations, elemental mapping, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction confirmed the successful scaffold fabrication of uniform elemental distribution all over the scaffolds. The incorporation of TiO₂ affects the Young's modulus of the scaffolds. The surface modification with dECM was more uniform when the TiO₂ was applied as a coating. Moreover, the TiO₂ coating and dECM modification of polycaprolactone/gelatin scaffold (PGsTd) reduced the contact angle from 127.5° to 25.5°, indicating higher hydrophilicity and promoting swelling capacity. After 14 days, 65.69 ± 5.4% of the PGsTd scaffold was degraded. Furthermore, the cell viability assays and morphological observations confirmed the excellent ability of this scaffold to promote cell adhesion, spreading, and viability. These findings suggested the high potential of PGsT for application in tissue engineering, especially in bone tissue repair.

Targeted drug delivery (TDD) has emerged as a potential strategy for cancer management by selectively delivering therapeutic agents directly to the targeted site. The current trends in TDD for cancer therapy, focus on the use of various ligands, such as hyaluronic acid, folic acid (FA), carbohydrates, peptides, antibodies, and aptamers to enhance drug delivery precision. Liposomes, a type of vesicular nanocarrier, allow the encapsulation of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic agents, thereby enabling the targeted delivery of a wide range of anticancer compounds. These versatile carriers exhibit exceptional biodegradability, biocompatibility, eased scalability, and facile surface modification. Given the high expression of folate receptors (FR) on cancer cells, these receptors represent a favorable target for the active targeting of chemotherapeutic agents. In the engineering of FA into liposomal formulations, researchers can develop an optimistic strategy for cancer management. The present article provides a brief overview of the fundamental aspects of FA and liposomes and focusing on the application of folate-targeted liposomes in the management of various cancers, such as breast, lung, skin, liver, brain, and colorectal cancer (CRC) is explored. The challenges associated with the delivery of folate-engineered liposomes in cancer management are also highlighted in this article.

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is a crucial intra-articular ligament of the knee, connecting the tibia to the femur and playing a vital role in stabilizing and protecting the joint. Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament frequently lead to instability within the knee joint, as well as tears in the meniscus and development of osteoarthritis. This research investigates the impact of polycaprolactone (PCL)/collagen/elastin compositions on various parameters, including functional groups, fiber diameter, degradation rate, mechanical properties, cell viability, and proliferation. The analysis conducted through Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) unequivocally validated the existence of functional groups associated with PCL, collagen, and elastin across all samples examined. The diameters of the fibers varied between 26 and 425 nanometers across a total of five samples. The PCL/collagen/elastin composition 50/35/15 in %wt, respectively (B2 sample), demonstrated superior characteristics, featuring a tensile strength of 3.390 ± 0.276 MPa, a fiber diameter of 109 ± 70 nm, porosity of 84.00 ± 1.73%, and a degradation period of 115 days. In vitro investigations employing the MTT Assay revealed a progressive enhancement in cell viability across days 1, 3, and 5, suggesting a vigorous process of cell proliferation. Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated an increase in cell counts on day 5 relative to day 1, whereas SEM imaging illustrated a consistent pattern of cell attachment and distribution across scaffolds to facilitate cell proliferation and interaction, thereby promoting formation of new tissue. The PCL/collagen/elastin fiber scaffolds demonstrate notable biocompatibility and hold significant potential for advancement as artificial ACLs.

Skin cancer is the uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal skin cells. It is mostly caused by unrepaired deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage to skin cells, which results in mutations, or genetic flaws, that cause skin cells to reproduce rapidly and develop malignant tumors. This study aimed to develop and analyze nanoparticle-loaded multilayered nanofibers (M-NFs) for the treatment of skin cancer. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) was chosen as the chemotherapy medication. Poly (D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles were created utilizing a double emulsion technique. The 2^5-2 fractional factorial design was used to test a variety of process and formulation parameters. The resultant nanoparticles were assessed for zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, particle size, shape. The optimized drug-loaded PLGA nanoparticle had a particle size of 178.4 ± 6.1 nm, a zeta potential of -28.2 mV, and an entrapment efficiency of 86.12% ± 2.1%. Transmission electron microscopy images showed uniformly sized spherical particles. Additional drug-loaded PLGA nanoparticles were integrated into M-NFs. The produced nanofibers were thoroughly characterized, and comparative in-vitro drug diffusion tests were conducted. In-vitro drug diffusion studies of drug-loaded PLGA nanoparticles into M-NFs demonstrated regulated release for up to 7 d. Further in-vivo effectiveness, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry studies were performed on SCID mice. According to the findings, the growth of skin cancer tumors has been steadily reduced, indicating that there are effective treatments for skin cancer. Developed multilayered electrospun nanofiber system demonstrates superior sustained release, enhanced drug localization, and improved cytotoxic efficacy compared to conventional nanofiber-only or nanoparticle-only formulations. This addition effectively underscores the novelty and therapeutic advantage of our integrated delivery platform.

Over the past few decades, there has been much interest in developing biocompatible, multifunctional nanoparticles for medicinal uses. In this study, gelatin-stabilized silver nanoparticles, Gel-AgNP, were synthesized using a green chemical reduction method and thoroughly characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Dynamic Light Scattering, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The ionic stability of the produced nano-particles was tested in the presence of sodium chloride to determine their colloidal nature under physiological environments. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of Gel-AgNP was tested using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The agar disk diffusion method wasused to assess their antibacterial activity against bacterial strains. The Gel-AgNP showed a surface plasmon resonance around 440 nm. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) analysis revealed a hydrodynamic diameter of 107.9 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.27, and a zeta potential of +11.03 mV. Ionic stability revealed an increment in size from 107 to 237 nm as NaCl concentration was increased from 25 to 150 mM.. Gel-AgNP demonstrated strong antioxidant capacity with IC₅₀ values of 132 µg/mL for DPPH and 133 µg/mL for H₂O₂, after comparison with 550 and 210 µg/mL for gelatin alone. The disk diffusion assay revealed inhibition zones of 5-10 mm for E. coli, 2-7 mm for E. feacalis. 20 µg/mL doses possessed moderate sensitivity in P. aeruginosa, whereas S. aureus was inhibited only at 20 µg/mL. These findings lend credence to the Gel-AgNP potential in biological applications, particularly in producing antioxidant-rich antibacterial nanocomposites.

This research focused on the development of a hydrogel of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), sodium alginate (SA) and gelatin (GL) for the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs. Doxorubicin (DOX), an anticancer drug, was selected as a model drug and successfully loaded into the hydrogel. By incorporating Ag NPs and DOX, the hydrogel enables tumor-specific targeting of the drug and controlled release. The characterization of synthesized silver nano-particles (AgNPs) by laser ablation method was performed using UV-visible spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). UV-vis spectroscopy confirmed nanoparticle formation by detecting a distinct surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at approximately 420 nm, which is characteristic of AgNPs. TEM imaging provided detailed morphological analysis, revealing spherical nanoparticles with an average diameter of 20 nm. The structural and chemical properties of DOX-loaded Ag NPs/SA.GL hydrogel was analyzed by UV spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The hydrogel did not show an initial explosive release of DOX, with only about 5% of the drug being released within the first 24 min. The drug release was rapid in the initial phase before slowing down over time, with the cumulative release pattern following this trend. At a pH of 7.4, approximately 60% of DOX was released from the Ag-NPs/SA.GL hydrogel. In addition, the encapsulation efficiency of DOX within the hydrogel was approximately 15%, highlighting its strong ability to retain the drug. These results suggest that Ag NPs/SA.GL hydrogels loaded with DOX are promising for targeted drug delivery and cancer treatment applications.

The main objective of this present study was to develop sodium alginate-based metformin hydrochloride loaded and chitosan coated microsphere for effective treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The prepared microspheres were formulated with different concentration of drug and polymer ratio and CaCl₂ was used as a crosslinking agent. Ionotropic gelation technique was adopted to prepare the microsphere in eight different drug polymer ratios. The microspheres were characterized by moisture content, microsphere size, swelling ratio, drug entrapment efficiency, in-vitro drug release profile for optimization purpose. Optimized formulation (F8) was further evaluated for surface morphology, FTIR, XRD, thermal analysis (TGA, DSC), antioxidant activity, in-vitro antidiabetic activity, and cytotoxicity studies. The microspheres were spherical in shape with shiny appearance. The average diameter of prepared microsphere was 792 ± 28.06 μm in diameter. The percentage of drug entrapment efficiency was observed in the range of 22.50 ± 2.05 to 65.41 ± 4.12%. F8 provides 39.22 ± 0.22% sustained drug release after 8 h. This approach of the fabrication of biopolymeric oral dosage form may be inspiring globally for green manufacturing of sustained release microsphere through quality-driven development.