Macromolecular Bioscience

Addressing complex tissue infections remains a challenging task because of the lack of effective means, and the limitations of traditional bioantimicrobial materials in single-application scenarios hinder their utility for complex infection sites. Hence, the development of a bioantimicrobial material with broad applicability and potent bactericidal activity is necessary to treat such infections. In this study, a layered lithium magnesium silicate nanoclay (LMS) is used to construct a nanobactericidal platform...

Cellulose ferulate, synthesized by Mitsunobu reaction, was shaped into thin films and also used as aqueous dispersion to perform artificial lignin polymerization on anchor groups. This biomimetic approach was carried out in a Quartz crystal microbalance with a dissipation monitoring device to enable online monitoring of the dehydrogenation, applying H2 O2 and adsorbed horseradish peroxidase. The systematic use of phenylpropanoids with different oxidation states, i.e. ferulic acid, coniferyl aldehyde, coniferyl alcohol, and eugenol allowed to conclude structure-property relationships...

In this study, we present the synthesis of a cross-linked collagen material, named platinum-containing collagen gel (PCG), which is achieved by simply mixing collagen and derivatives of an anti-cancer platinum complex. The cross-linking reagents are derivatives of cisplatin or transplatin, generated through a ligand exchange with dimethyl sulfoxide. PCG exhibited superior physical strength and transparency compared with the native collagen gel formed through spontaneous fibril formation. We demonstrated the versatility of PCG as a cell culture scaffold, applicable to both 2D and 3D models, with low cytotoxicity...

The scaffold is a porous three-dimensional (3D) material that supports cell growth and tissue regeneration. Such 3D structures should be generated with simple techniques and nontoxic ingredients to mimic bio-environment and facilitate tissue regeneration. In this work, we demonstrate simple but powerful techniques for the fabrication of lamellar and honeycomb-mimic scaffolds with poly(L-lactic acid). The honeycomb-mimic scaffolds with tunable pore size ranging from 70 to 160 µm are fabricated by crystal needle-guided thermally induced phase separation in a directional freezing apparatus...

Hydrogel wound dressing can accelerate angiogenesis to achieve rapid wound healing, but traditional hydrogel dressings are difficult to meet the repair of joint sites due to their low mechanical strength. Therefore, we constructed the gel system by designing the chemical-physical interpenetrating network structure to achieve high strength and high toughness of the hydrogel. The high-strength double-network hydrogels were synthesized by simple free radical polymerization and low-temperature physicochemical cross-linking in our experiments...

Electrospun polymer nanofibers, due to their high surface area-to-volume ratio, high porosity, good mechanical strength, and ease of functionalization, appear to be promising multifunctional materials for biomedical applications. Thanks to their unidirectional structure, imitating the extracellular matrix (ECM), it they can be used as scaffolds for cell adhesion and proliferation. Additionally, the incorporation of active groups inside nanofiber can give properties for bactericides. The proposed nanomats incorporate nanoparticles templated within the electrospun nanofibers that prevent infections and stimulate tissue regeneration...

The physiological problem of chronic inflammation and its associated pathologies attract ongoing attention with regard to methods for their control. Current systemic pharmacological treatments present problematic side effects. Thus, the possibility of new anti-inflammatory compounds with differing mechanisms of action or biophysical properties is enticing. Cationic polymers, with their ability to act as carriers for other molecules or to form bio-compatible materials, present one such possibility. Although not well described, several polycations such as chitosan and polyarginine, have displayed anti-inflammatory properties...

Hydrogels have emerged as a promising option for treating local scald wounds due to their unique physical and chemical properties. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ovalbumin/gelatin composite hydrogels in repairing deep II-degree scald wounds using a mouse dorsal skin model. Trauma tissues collected at various time points were analyzed for total protein content, hydroxyproline content, histological features, and expression of relevant markers. The results revealed that the hydrogel accelerated the healing process of scalded wounds, which was 17...

Three-dimensional (3D) bio-printing of elastic cartilage tissues that are mechanically and structurally comparable to their native counterparts, while exhibiting favorable cellular behavior, is an unmet challenge. A practical solution for this problem is the multi-material bio-printing of thermoplastic polymers and cell-laden hydrogels using multiple nozzles. However, the processing of thermoplastic polymers requires high temperatures, which can damage hydrogel-encapsulated cells. In this study, we developed waterborne polyurethane (WPU) - polycaprolactone (PCL) composites to allow multi-material co-printing with cell-laden gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels...

Gelatin-based injectable hydrogels capable of encapsulating cells are pivotal in tissue engineering because they can conform to any geometry and exhibit physical properties similar to those of living tissues. However, the slow gelation process observed in these cell-encapsulating hydrogels often causes an uneven dispersion of cells. This study proposes an approach for achieving fast gelation of unmodified gelatin under physiological conditions through gelatin pre-clustering. By employing tetrafunctional succinimidyl-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) as a clustering agent, we successfully expedited the gelation process five-fold without requiring chemical modifications, effectively addressing the associated challenges of uneven cell distribution...

Bacterial pneumonia is one of the major threats in clinical practice, and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated at the infection site can exacerbate the damage. Currently, conventional antibiotic therapies have low utilization, and their excessive use can result in substantial toxicity. Nanocarrier systems provide an ideal approach for treating bacterial infection by facilitating more efficient utilization of antibiotics. In this study, the ROS-responsive amphiphilic nanoparticles (NPs) were developed and used to encapsulate the antibiotic doxycycline (DOXY) to achieve antibacterial and antioxidant functionalities...

The contact between the dialysis membrane and blood can induce oxidative stress (OS) and thrombosis, causing oxidative organ damage and impaired toxin clearance. To date, the selection of anticoagulants has focused on mechanisms inhibiting white, but not red (erythrocytes) thrombus formation. In the present study, polyethersulfone (PES) membranes were modified with the antioxidant drug tiopronin, the physicochemical properties and dialysis performance of the Tio-PES membranes were evaluated. The effects on erythrocyte thrombosis were evaluated in terms of erythrocyte morphology, prothrombotic properties (adhesion, aggregation, viscosity, sedimentation, and hemolysis), and fibrinogen-erythrocyte interactions...

Prevention of fouling from proteins in blood plasma has attracted significant efforts and great progress has been made in identifying surface coatings that display antifouling properties. In particular, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) has been widely used and dense PEG-like cylindrical brushes of poly[oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate] (poly(OEGMA)) can drastically reduce blood plasma fouling. Herein, we report a comprehensive study of the variation of blood plasma fouling on this surface, including the analysis of the composition of protein deposits on poly(OEGMA) coatings after contact with blood plasma from many different donors...

Hydrogels from natural sources are attracting increasing interest due to their ability to protect biologically active molecules. Starch extracted from cassava tubers is a promising material for synthesizing these hydrogels. Copolymerization of cassava gum and incorporation of Chlorhexidine Digluconate (CLX) into the hydrogels was confirmed by changes in the crystallographic profile, as observed through X-ray diffraction (XRD), and a shift in the 1000 cm-1 band in the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrum...

Cryopreservation techniques are valuable for the preservation of genetic properties in cells, and the development of this technology contributes to various fields In a previous study, we reported an isotonic freezing medium composed of poly(zwitterion) (polyZI), which alleviates osmotic shock, unlike typical hypertonic freezing media. In this study, we optimized the primitive freezing medium composed of emerging polyZI. Imidazolium/carboxylate-type polyZI (VimC3 C) was the optimal chemical structure. The molecular weight and degree of ion substitution (DSion ) were not significant factors...

Liver fibrosis occurs in many chronic liver diseases, while severe fibrosis can lead to liver failure. A chitosan-phenol based self-healing hydrogel (CP) integrated with decellularized liver matrix (DLM) was proposed in this study as a 3D gel matrix to carry hepatocytes for possible therapy of liver fibrosis. To mimic the physiological liver microenvironment, DLM was extracted from pigs and mixed with CP hydrogel to generate DLM-CP self-healing hydrogel. Hepatocyte spheroids coated with endothelial cells (ECs) were fabricated using a customized method and embedded in the hydrogel...

Post-operative adhesion can cause complications, such as pain, and organ blockage, in the abdominal regions. To address this issue, surgical techniques, and anti-adhesive treatments have been applied. Given the significant role of vascularization in adhesion band formation, Avastin (Ava) that targets VEGF can be applied to prevent peritoneal adhesion bands. Moreover, Alginate (Alg), a natural polysaccharide, is a promising physical barrier to prevent adhesion bands. Incorporating Ava into Alg hydrogel in a form of 3D-printed scaffold (Alg/Ava) has potential to suppress inflammation and angiogenesis, leading to reduce peritoneal adhesion bands...

Ocular neovascularization is a hallmark of several sight-threatening diseases, including diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Currently, available treatments are limited and often associated with side effects. Therefore, we present a novel approach to ocular neovascularization treatment through utilization of polymersomes from self-assembled sphingosine-grafted hyaluronic acid (HA-Sph) amphiphilic polymers. The polymersomes are generated in spherical morphologies and sizes between 97.95 nm - 161...

In this study, the anti-inflammatory effect of dental pulp MSC exosomes loaded to mucoadhesive hydrogel was investigated in a dental nickel hypersensitivity murine model. After culture of dental pulp MSCs in the third passage MSCs were loaded to a mucoadhesive hydrogel based on chitosan, cross-linked with genipin and modified with catechol groups. A dental nickel hypersensitivity model was created by administering NiCl2 and 10 μg/mL LPS to 4-6-week-old Balb-c mice by intradermal injection. In mice treated with dental pulp MSC exosomes and exosomes in hydrogel, IFN-γ secreting CD4+T lymphocyte ratios significantly increased compared to the untreated group (p<0...

For a guided bone regeneration membrane, it is critical to possess osteogenic capability while inhibiting infection caused by bacteria. Inspired by the bilayer structure of the native periosteum, an electrospun Janus membrane with osteogenic and antibacterial dual-function was fabricated for guided bone regeneration. Hydrophilic moxifloxacin (MXF) and hydrophobic icariin (ICA) were loaded in the nanofibers made of a mixture of polycaprolactone (PCL) and gelatin at the top and bottom layers respectively, leading to the opposing hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of the bilayer Janus membranes...