Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine最新文献

Vascularized osteogenesis is crucial for bone regeneration. Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) includs many growth factors, of which VEGF plays the significant role in vascularization. No study has investigated the effect of lyophilized platelet-rich fibrin (Ly-PRF) combined with gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) on the repair of bone defects. We first prepared fresh PRF by one-step centrifugation method. Then, we constructed Ly-PRF by lyophilization. Afterwards, GelMA was synthesized by chemical synthesis method and GelMA hydrogel was prepared by photo-crosslinking method. Finally, Ly-PRF was encapsulated into GelMA hydrogel to construct GelMA@Ly-PRF hydrogel and used in vitro and in vivo to explore its effect on calvarial regeneration of rats. The fresh PRF had good elasticity. GelMA was synthesized by chemical synthesis method and GelMA hydrogel was formed by blue light-irradiation of GelMA solution. After encapsulation of Ly-PRF into GelMA hydrogel, VEGF in Ly-PRF could slowly and sustainably release for continuous 21 days. In vitro, the GelMA@Ly-PRF hydrogel had high swelling property and porous structure. What’s more, it had good cytocompatibility and was capable of promoting angiopoiesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In vivo, the GelMA@Ly-PRF hydrogel could facilitate to repair calvarial defects of rats by promoting formation of new blood vessel during the process of bone healing, evidenced by Micro-CT, H&E staining, Masson’s staining and immunohistochemical staining of CD31 and OPN. Encapsulation of Ly-PRF into a GelMA hydrogel could promote bone regeneration of rats.

In the treatment of severe burn injuries, autologous skin transplantation is increasingly being supplemented by synthetic dermis substitute materials. Novosorb® Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix (BTM) is a polyurethane foam used in a surgical procedure that currently requires a period of up to 21 days for successful neovascularization and integration, which is associated with a longer inpatient treatment. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of the growth factors EPO, FGF, PDGF, VEGF and adipogenic stem cells (ASC) in shortening the time required for BTM grafting and vascularization. BTM containing growth factor and/or ASC was grafted onto to the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) in different configurations. The average vascular growth of the BTM in 9 different experimental groups was analyzed in comparison to the control group. After 7 days, the experiment was terminated, and the vascularization of the BTM was evaluated by macroscopic image analysis with ImageJ/Fiji, along with histological HE staining and immunohistochemical staining for vascular-specific factors. Successful grafting and vascularization of the BTM in ovo were achieved for the first time. The addition of growth factors and ASC increased the average vascularization of the BTM and the entire CAM. All experimental groups showed promising vascularization patterns, with the BTM + ASC and BTM + PDGF + ASC groups excelling. Differentiation of ASC was not induced in combination with BTM or growth factors. BTM vascularization is improved by proangiogenic growth factors and ASC, which can form the basis for clinical strategies aimed at shortening the inpatient treatment of severely burned patients.

In this study, nanoimprint lithography was employed to fabricate micropillars on the surface of a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) film. In the next step, a hydrothermal method was used to grow zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures on the PVDF-HFP film. The antibacterial properties of the resulting films were evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). The sharp ZnO nanostructures exhibited strong antibacterial activity through both physical membrane disruption and chemical interactions, including ion release and oxidative stress. The effect of micropillar structures on the antibacterial behavior of PVDF-HFP films was also investigated. The results show that the presence of micropillars enhanced the antibacterial efficacy. The increase in surface area enabled a higher concentration growth of ZnO nanostructures, which contributed to more efficient bacterial inactivation. ZnO-coated PVDF-HFP films with micropillars outperformed ZnO nanostructures grown on neat PVDF-HFP films, particularly against E. coli. Viability assays revealed a substantial reduction in bacterial survival, with only 3.80% of S. aureus and 1.36% of E. coli cells remaining viable on PVDF-HFP films with surface micropillars and ZnO. These findings highlight the potential of ZnO-coated, microtextured PVDF-HFP films as effective antibacterial materials for future biomedical and food packaging applications.

Implantable materials based on titanium have been widely used in medical and dental care due to favorable mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, when compared to ceramics, titanium surfaces are more susceptible to bacterial adhesion and colonization by periodontopathogenic species. Peri-implant infections are the major cause of implant failure and development of implantable materials with surface properties effective in minimizing bacterial colonization is still a challenge. Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) provides porous ceramic coatings of high durability and stability on titanium. Incorporating metals with antimicrobial effects may contribute to minimizing microorganism adhesion on titanium. This study developed a novel zirconium-coated titanium surface using PEO and compared the composition of oral biofilm with machined or double acid etched surfaces in situ. SEM analysis showed pores and micro-pores, respectively for PEO and zirconium coatings, with surface roughness lower than acid etching while maintaining moderate levels (Ra/Sa: 1.0-2.0 µm). Chemical composition analysis showed predomination of TiO₂ on the most superficial layer of all groups with phosphorous and calcium incorporated into PEO coatings; calcium was replaced by a relevant amount of zirconium after anodization. Both PEO and zirconium coatings presented reduced values of surface free energy and less wettability than control and etched surfaces. DNA Checkerboard hybridization analysis showed that zirconium coatings significantly reduced the total microbial counts on the formed biofilms with lower counts of opportunistic and pathogenic species. In conclusion, PEO and zirconium coatings have substantially modified the microbial colonization pattern of biofilms, with preferential colonization by commensal Streptococci on zirconium surfaces.

Graphical Abstract

In recent years, the incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) has been steadily rising in our country. As a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), UC is primarily characterized by bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, hematochezia, weight loss, and acute or post-traumatic stress responses. In severe cases, it can lead to various complications, posing a significant threat to patients’ lives. The current treatment strategies for UC primarily include dietary management, pharmacological therapy, and surgical intervention. Among these, medication remains the most widely used approach. However, conventional drugs such as aminosalicylates and glucocorticoids suffer from poor target specificity and considerable toxic side effects. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop alternative anti-UC agents with higher efficacy and lower toxicity. Diosmetin, a naturally occurring flavonoid predominantly derived from citrus fruits, exhibits multiple pharmacological activities. Nevertheless, its clinical application in UC treatment has been severely limited due to inherent drawbacks, including poor structural stability and a tendency to precipitate in aqueous solutions, which hinders the formation of stable formulations. To address these limitations, this study proposes a novel property modification strategy for diosmetin to enhance its therapeutic potential in UC management.

The integration of imaging modalities and drug transport strategies has opened up exciting and innovative possibilities for simultaneously tracking and treating cancer, pushing the boundaries of current advancements. In this study, SBA-15 mesoporous silica nanoparticles (SBA-15 MSN) with a potent fluorescence emission were synthesized by a sol-gel method for targeted drug delivery. The enzalutamide (ENZ, anticancer drug) and folic acid (FA, targeting agent) were covalently conjugated to SBA-15 and the resulted FA-SBA-15/ENZ was loaded with thiolated nitrogen-doped carbon dots (SNCDs) as a fluorescent label for imaging. The drug loading efficiency was up to 69.95% and the disulfide linkage between the drug and SBA-15 provided the nanocarrier with redox-responsive capability for controlled drug release, and could be degraded by reducing agents such as dithiothreitol (DTT) or glutathione (GSH). The drug release behavior of the FA-SNCD@SBA-15/ENZ in the presence of GSH was very different from that in DTT as the loaded ENZ could be quickly released in the presence of GSH, but not in DTT. In addition, the toxicity of the synthesized nanocarriers with a certain amount of drug was evaluated using an MTT assay. The developed FA-SNCD@SBA-15/ENZ multifunctional nanocarrier showed higher cytotoxicity compared with the untreated drug and nanoparticles in the PC3 human prostate cancer cell line.

Combining decellularized biological scaffolds with PRP can prevent the rapid inactivation of growth factors and achieve their controlled and sustained release during tissue regeneration. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the combined effect of decellularized bovine pericardium (dBP) and leukocyte-rich platelet-rich plasma (LR-PRP) on the bone repair in a rabbit femoral defect model. Bovine pericardium was decellularized using the Trypsin-Triton X-SDS protocol and histologically assessed. Unicortical bone defects were surgically created in the femur of rabbits (n = 6) and randomly assigned to three treatment allocations: (1) untreated control, (2) LR-PRP, and (3) LR-PRP + dBP-treated defects. Bone defect healing was evaluated using quantitative computed tomography (CT) and histopathological analyses. The dBP achieved 99.2% nucleus removal, retained about 34.3% of the sulfated glycosaminoglycan, and maintained a collagen content similar to the native pericardia. The CT voxel values of the defects treated with the LR-PRP + dBP increased by +33.2% and +56.2% at 2 and 4 weeks after surgery, respectively, compared to the control defects. As well, a significant rise in the CT values was observed in the LR-PRP + dBP treatment compared to the LR-PRP treatment alone at 2 weeks (p = 0.03) and 4 weeks (p = 0.02). Histopathologically, the LR-PRP + dBP treatment achieved higher bone repair scores with a significantly higher nascent bone area fraction (87.8%) compared to the LR-PRP (54%). These findings highlight the synergistic effect of dBP and LR-PRP, offering promising prospects in developing biocompatible scaffolds for enhancing bone repair.

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Chitosan (CS)-based hydrogel films have attracted intense and increasing interest for healing burn wounds owing to their strong biocompatibility and hemostatic potential. However, conventional CS hydrogels suffer from poor mechanical strength and structural instability under exudate exposure, limiting their clinical efficacy. Herein, a floccule self-deposition/redissolution strategy is implemented to develop a flexible and transparent CS-based hydrogel film with enhanced hemostasis and wound healing properties. Acetic acid is used to redissolve CS floccules, expanding intermolecular distances to reduce intramolecular hydrogen bonds and expose more bioactive amino groups. Glycerin is incorporated as a plasticizer to enhance the mechanical properties. The as-prepared CS-based hydrogel film exhibits higher mechanical flexibility (~72% elongation at break) in dry conditions and maintains its structural integrity for 24 h in wet environments. It also exhibits a higher hemostatic ability (~122 s) than a traditional unprocessed CS-based hydrogel film (~315 s). A second-degree partial thickness burn wound model confirms that the CS-based hydrogel film can significantly regulate the inflammatory response and accelerate the collagen deposition, thus promoting wound closure and healing. Overall, this study provides a facile approach to prepare CS-based hydrogel films with promising potential as dressings for burn wound healing.

The major loss of cardiomyocytes caused by several cardiovascular diseases as myocardial infarction, increases the incidence of heart failure. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop novel therapies that can enhance angiogenesis and decrease the rate of cardiac cell apoptosis. The use of nanoparticles that can passively target infarcted myocardium can be appealing. Icariin is a natural product with various cardioprotective properties that can be encapsulated within nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) to enhance its therapeutic effect. Incorporating bioactive excipients such as omega-3 oils and bromelain into the NLC formulation can potentiate its cardioreparative effects. Therefore, the use of such nanoformulation can be an attractive option to minimize cardiac damage. Optimized bromelain-coated and uncoated NLCs loaded with icariin were successfully developed, demonstrating efficient bromelain surface modification, high drug entrapment, and a favorable release profile. In vitro experiments using doxorubicin (DOX)-treated H9c2 cardiomyocytes highlighted the superior cellular uptake of NLCs compared to the free solution. Notably, pretreatment with optimized bromelain-coated and uncoated icariin-loaded NLCs significantly improved cell viability and reduced apoptotic rates, indicating their potential role in cardioprotection. The therapeutic effect of NLCs was markedly enhanced relative to free icariin, demonstrating the added value of nano-formulation. Combination index (CI) analysis using Compusyn further verified the synergistic interaction between nano-formulated icariin and bioactive excipients, enabling improved therapeutic outcomes with lower effective doses. These findings highlight the potential of NLC-based delivery systems in counteracting doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, supporting further preclinical studies for clinical translation.

Graphical Abstract

This study investigated the impact of particle size refinement on the hydration rate, permeability, and antimicrobial properties of tricalcium silicate (C₃S) in root canal applications. Four C₃S pastes with varying particle sizes were prepared and evaluated. Hydration experiments indicated that finer particles accelerated the early hydration rate, though agglomeration effects influenced the long-term behavior. Permeability assessments using simulated body fluid and confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that smaller particles achieved significantly greater penetration depth and area into dentinal tubules. Antimicrobial tests against Enterococcus faecalis demonstrated that the 0.4 μm C₃S group exhibited superior bactericidal efficacy, with a notable improvement in penetration and antibacterial activity compared to the 12.8 μm group. These findings suggest that particle size reduction enhances the functional performance of C₃S-based sealers in endodontic therapy.