Alginate/quaternized carboxymethyl chitosan/clay nanocomposite microspheres: preparation and drug-controlled release behavior

Drug-delivery systems, using natural drug carriers, have become increasingly important because of their nontoxicity and biodegradability. In this study, firstly, quaternized carboxymethyl chitosan (QCMC) was intercalated into the interlayer of organic montmorillonite (OMMT) to obtain the QCMC/OMMT nanocomposites, their structure, morphology, and thermal stability were investigated. Next, crosslinked alginate/QCMC/OMMT (AQCOM) microsphere was obtained by crosslinking with CaCl₂, and the drug-controlled release behavior was evaluated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as model drug. The results suggested that, carboxyl groups in alginate and QCMC crosslinked with Ca²⁺, quaternary ammonium groups in QCMC or OMMT electrostatically interacted with carboxyl groups in alginate, and there was stable three-dimensional network in AQCOM microsphere. The swelling ratio of AQCOM microspheres decreased with the increase of OMMT content, the lowest one was only about 45% compared to the microsphere without OMMT of 197%. Besides, the in vitro release results for BSA indicated that the AQCOM microsphere displayed more excellent encapsulation and controlled release capacities than the microsphere without OMMT. The in vitro active cutaneous anaphylaxis test was carried out on Guinea pigs, which revealed that AQCOM microsphere did not cause anaphylaxis. Therefore, QCMC/OMMT nanocomposites from natural materials are considerably suitable to apply as drug-controlled release carriers.     

磁性壳聚糖微球的生物相容性

背景：采用壳聚糖对磁性氧化铁纳米颗粒表面进行改性,一方面可改善磁性纳米氧化铁颗粒的团聚性,增加其稳定性,另一方面将来可用于肿瘤热疗及基因治疗。 目的：制备将来可用于肿瘤热疗及基因治疗的磁性壳聚糖微球,评价其生物相容性。 方法：采用改良的化学沉淀法制备磁性氧化铁纳米颗粒。采用超声乳化法将壳聚糖加入到磁性氧化铁纳米颗粒中制备磁性壳聚糖微球,进行以下实验：①MTT实验检测磁性壳聚糖微球浸提液的细胞毒性：分别以1640培养液、聚丙烯酰胺单体溶液、100%,75%,50%,25%的磁性壳聚糖微球浸提液培养L-929细胞。②溶血实验：在兔抗凝血中分别加入磁性壳聚糖微球浸提液、生理盐水及蒸馏水。③微核实验：在昆明小鼠腹腔分别注射含氧化铁磁流体5,3.75,2.5,1.25 g/kg的磁性壳聚糖微球混悬液、环磷酰胺及生理盐水。 结果与结论：磁性壳聚糖微球粒径200-300 nm,分散效果有所提高。不同浓度的磁性壳聚糖微球浸提液对L-929 细胞毒性为1级,属对细胞无毒性范畴。磁性壳聚糖微球浸提液的溶血率为0.69%,小于5%,符合医用材料的溶血实验要求。磁性壳聚糖微球混悬液未导致细胞DNA断裂和非整倍体化,未导致微核产生的遗传毒理作用,材料无致畸或致突变作用,因此磁性壳聚糖微球具有良好的生物相容性。     

Glutathione-dependent micelles based on carboxymethyl chitosan for delivery of doxorubicin

Novel glutathione (GSH)-dependent micelles based on carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) were developed for triggered intracellular release of doxorubicin (DOX). DOX-33′-Dithiobis (N-hydroxysuccinimidyl propionate)-CMCS (DOX-DSP-CMCS) prodrugs were synthesized. DOX was attached to the amino group on CMCS via disulfide bonds and drug-loaded micelles were formed by self-assembly. The micelles formed core–shell structure with CMCS and DOX as the shell and core, respectively, in aqueous media. The structure of the prodrugs was confirmed by IR and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy. The drug-loading capacity determined by UV spectrophotometry was 4.96% and the critical micelle concentration of polymer prodrugs determined by pyrene fluorescence was 0.089 mg/mL. Micelles were spherical and the mean size of the nanoparticles was 174 nm, with a narrow polydispersity index of 0.106. Moreover, in vitro drug release experiments showed that the micelles were highly GSH-sensitive owing to the reductively degradable disulfide bonds. Cell counting kit (CCK-8) assays revealed that DOX-DSP-CMCS micelles exhibited effective cytotoxicity against HeLa cells. Moreover, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) demonstrated that DOX-DSP-CMCS micelles could efficiently deliver and release DOX in the cancer cells. In conclusion, the DOX-DSP-CMCS nanosystem is a promising drug delivery vehicle for cancer therapy.     

壳聚糖多孔支架制备新方法初探

利用NaCl作为致孔剂,采用干热交联壳聚糖与盐淅沥致孔法制备壳聚糖多孔支架,探索该支架制备方法的可行性和安全性.在研究中利用干热交联壳聚糖与盐淅沥致孔法制备了不同质量比(chitosan/NaCl)的壳聚糖多孔支架和冻干法制备的支架,并对所有支架的孔隙率、孔结构、力学性能等参数指标进行评价.结果表明,利用于热交联壳聚糖与盐淅沥致孔法制备过程中加入致孔剂(NaCl)越多,即NaCl/chitosan质量比越大,所构建多孔支架的平均孔径越大,孔隙率越高,抗拉性则下降.     

Mechanically strong and pH-responsive carboxymethyl chitosan/graphene oxide/polyacrylamide nanocomposite hydrogels with fast recoverability

The biocompatible, quickly recoverable, mechanically strong and tough polymer hydrogels have great potential for biomedical applications. A novel carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCTs)/graphene oxide (GO)/polyacrylamide (PAM) nanocomposite (NC) hydrogel with excellent mechanical performance was synthesized through a facile, one-pot free radical polymerization, using GO nanosheets as the crosslink centers instead of toxic organic molecules. The content of GO nanosheets and CMCTs has great influence on the mechanical properties of CMCTs/GO/PAM NC hydrogels. When the amount of GO nanosheets is 0.118 wt % and CMCTs is 1.5 wt % (to the total weight of CMCTs and acrylamide), CMCTs/GO/PAM hydrogel displays a compressive stress as high as 5.8 MPa at the breaking deformation of 87.5% and a tensile strength of 223.6 kPa at the failure strain of 631%. Besides, with nearly complete recovery in 1 min at the room temperature after unloading, the CMCTs/GO/PAM hydrogels exhibit excellent fast recoverability. Additionally, the CMCTs/GO/PAM hydrogels also have an obvious pH-responsive property.     

Effects of preparation methods on the bone formation potential of apatite-coated chitosan microspheres

To investigate the effects of preparation methods on the bone formation potential of apatite-coated chitosan microspheres, coacervate precipitation method and emulsion cross-linking method were chosen to prepare chitosan microspheres, and then apatite coatings were deposited using simulated body fluid. Rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were seeded on these microspheres. Cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation potential were monitored. For in vivo analysis, some cell/microsphere constructs were implanted in the subcutaneous pockets of male Wistar rats. After 3, 6, 12 weeks, the samples were retrieved and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE). Some cell/microsphere constructs were implanted in the calvarial defects of rats. Micro-CT and HE analysis were performed to analyze the new bone formation. It was found that BMSCs on apatite-coated emulsion cross-linked microspheres (EM1) exhibited better proliferation and differentiation than cells on apatite-coated coacervate-precipitated microspheres. The in vivo results showed that no bone was observed in ectopic areas. While in calvarial defects, both histological slices and Micro-CT images demonstrated that a substantial amount of new bone was formed in the EM1/BMSCs construct. These data suggest that preparation methods do exert great influence on the in vitro cell behaviors and in vivo orthotopic bone regeneration of apatite-coated chitosan microspheres. Appropriate method should be considered when preparing chitosan microspheres for bone tissue engineering scaffold.     

壳聚糖微球复合丝素基硫酸钙骨水泥的理化特性

背景：脊柱成形和脊柱后凸成形治疗中采用的硫酸钙骨水泥理化性质好,对人体无毒性作用,同时具有降解性能,但单独使用降解较快。 目的：研制具有载药缓释功能的壳聚糖微球丝素基硫酸钙骨水泥。 方法：采用三聚磷酸钠乳化交联法制备壳聚糖微球。采用浓度分别为3%,6%,9%的丝素溶液与CaSO₄•0.5H₂O混合,通过万能力学试验机确定骨水泥力学性能最佳时的丝素浓度,在此浓度下,按壳聚糖微球占CaSO₄•0.5H₂O的质量比分别为0.5%,1%,5%的比例制备壳聚糖微球丝素基硫酸钙骨水泥,测定其抗压强度,并通过X射线多晶衍射仪及傅里叶红外光谱明确达到最佳抗压强度组的骨水泥成分,电镜观察复合骨水泥中壳聚糖微球的形态。 结果与结论：当丝素溶液浓度为6%,壳聚糖微球含量为0.5%时,复合骨水泥的抗压强度最大,为  (39.17±1.96) MPa,此时复合骨水泥的初凝时间为(12.99±1.63) min,终凝时间为(21.55±0.54) min;骨水泥中主要晶相组成为硫酸钙,傅里叶红外光谱结果证实复合骨水泥中含有丝素及壳聚糖;复合骨水泥中的微球表面稍有皱缩,但球形仍然完整,未见明显破坏,可见在制备复合骨水泥的过程中微球能保持稳定而不被破坏。中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：生物材料;骨生物材料; 口腔生物材料; 纳米材料; 缓释材料; 材料相容性;组织工程全文链接：     

Folic acid conjugated glycol chitosan micelles for targeted delivery of doxorubicin: preparation and preliminary evaluation in vitro

For folate receptor (FR) targeted anticancer therapy, novel folic acid (FA) conjugated cholesterol-modified glycol chitosan (FCHGC) micelles were synthesized and characterized by ¹H NMR, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The degree of substitution was 1.4 FA groups and 7.7 cholesterol groups per 100 sugar residues of glycol chitosan. The critical aggregation concentration of FCHGC micelles in aqueous solution was 0.0169?mg/ml. The doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded FCHGC (DFCHGC) micelles were prepared by an emulsion/solvent evaporation method. The DFCHGC micelles were almost spherical in shape and their size increased from 282 to 320?nm with the DOX-loading content increasing from 4.53 to 11.4%. DOX released from DOX-loaded micelles displayed sustained release behavior. The targeted micelles encapsulated DOX showed significantly greater cytotoxicity against FR-positive HeLa cells than the nontargeted DOX-loaded micelles and free DOX. These results suggested that FCHGC micelles could be a potential carrier for targeted drug delivery.     

Cefepime loaded O-carboxymethyl chitosan microspheres with sustained bactericidal activity and enhanced biocompatibility

Cefepime (CFP) is a frequently used antibiotic for prevention of post-surgery infection. Systemic delivery of CFP in a bulk dose usually shows effective therapeutic effects, while cytotoxicity can also be generated. To avoid the drawback of systemic delivery of antibiotic, local and controlled administration of drug is being employed to prolong therapeutic effects and reduce cytotoxicity by sustaining drug release and minimizing drug exposure. In this work, CFP loaded polymer O-carboxymethyl chitosan (OCMC) microspheres (CFP-OCMC-MPs) were fabricated and their antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus as well as biocompatibility were evaluated. The microspheres possessed the spherical surface with diameter approximately 7 μm. Fourier transforms infrared spectral and wide-angle X-ray diffraction analysis showed that CFP was steadily incorporated. The drug loading content and encapsulation efficiency of the microspheres were 21.4 ± 0.5% and 42.3 ± 0.7%, respectively. The drug release profiles were found to be biphasic with an initial burst release followed by a gradual release phase, following the Higuchi model. In addition, the CFP-OCMC-MPs were able to kill all the bacteria cultured in suspension within 24 h and exhibited long-lasting bactericidal activity as demonstrated by inhibition zone study. Compared to CFP, CFP-OCMC-MPs showed a milder toxicity toward osteoblast-like cells over an 8 day period. All these results suggest that CFP-OCMC-MPs are endowed with sustained treatment of bacterial infection and enhanced biocompatibility.     

壳聚糖及其纳米粒子在组织工程中的应用

壳聚糖由于其生物学特性而受到广泛关注,纳米材料在生物医学领域中表现出良好的应用前景。对壳聚糖纳米粒子的制备方法和壳聚糖及其纳米粒子在组织工程中的应用进行了综述。     

构建聚乳酸-羟基乙酸电纺丝-壳聚糖电喷微球牙周仿生膜

文题释义： 离子交联法制备壳聚糖微球：离子交联法利用酸性环境下壳聚糖呈阳离子性,向壳聚糖溶液中边搅拌边滴加三聚磷酸钠,带负电的磷酸根离子与壳聚糖分子链上带正电荷的氨基通过静电吸附,从而形成微球。 牙周膜：是连接牙齿和牙槽骨之间具有方向性的结缔组织,宽度为0.15-0.38 mm,其内含具有一定方向性胶原纤维束,其一端埋入牙骨质,另一端伸入牙槽骨内,具有固定牙根和缓解咀嚼时所产生压力的作用,又称牙周关节;牙周膜能形成牙槽骨及牙骨质,被破坏后能重建。由此可见,牙周膜不是普通的纤维结缔组织,它具有方向性、附着点、可再生牙周组织(牙骨质、牙周膜、牙槽骨)。 背景：当牙齿脱离牙槽窝后,牙周膜断裂,残留在脱位牙根表面的牙周膜由三维变成二维,丧失了支架膜的作用,导致脱位牙再植后根骨粘连。如何研发一种能黏附牙根表面具有一定厚度及强度的三维缓释支架材料,是脱位牙牙周膜再生成功的关键之一。 目的：构建可黏附脱位牙根表面的缓释生长因子的三维仿生膜。 方法：采用静电纺丝技术制备聚乳酸-羟基乙酸电纺膜,研究电纺溶剂二氯甲烷与二甲基甲酰胺混合溶液、六氟异丙醇、三氯甲烷对电纺膜的影响,筛选最佳的电纺溶剂。采用电喷技术与离子交联法制备壳聚糖微球,研究壳聚糖相对分子质量(5万、10万)与质量浓度(10,20 g/L)、接受液三聚磷酸钠浓度(2%,5%,10%)、电压(14,28 kV)对壳聚糖微球的影响,筛选最佳的参数。构建含基质细胞衍生因子1壳聚糖微球(最优参数设计),检测其体外释放基质细胞衍生因子1α的速率。首先将聚乳酸-羟基乙酸电纺膜裹在牙齿根表面,然后在其表面滴加壳聚糖微球,在其外层裹一层薄薄的聚乳酸-羟基乙酸电纺膜,从而形成聚乳酸-羟基乙酸-壳聚糖微球-聚乳酸-羟基乙酸膜。 结果与结论：①利用电纺溶剂六氟异丙醇制备的聚乳酸-羟基乙酸电纺膜平均直径最小、空隙率最大;②当壳聚糖相对分子质量为5万、质量浓度为20 g/L时,微球的大小基本一致,平均直径366.6 μm,单分散性好、饱满、稳定;28 kV电压下形成的壳聚糖微球更符合脱位牙仿生膜的要求;利用5%三聚磷酸钠制备的壳聚糖微球表面微观结构孔径居中,最有利于临床牙周膜再生;壳聚糖微球可持续释放基质细胞衍生因子1α 1个月左右;③实验创建了一种黏附牙齿表面的具有缓释效能的聚乳酸-羟基乙酸-壳聚糖微球-聚乳酸-羟基乙酸三维仿生膜并筛选出构建此仿生膜的最佳参数,可在此模型基础上进一步研究组织工程手段对脱位牙再植的效果及机制。 ORCID: 0000-0003-3957-3423(封小霞) 中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：生物材料;骨生物材料; 口腔生物材料; 纳米材料; 缓释材料; 材料相容性;组织工程     

Demonstration of oestrogen and progesterone receptors in freeze-dried, paraffin-embedded sections of breast cancer

Immunohistochemical evaluation of oestrogen and progesterone receptors is of importance in evaluating human breast tumours. Staining techniques can be performed on snap-frozen, cryostat-cut tissues or, as recently reported, on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. These methods are, however, limited by several drawbacks, including difficulties in retrospective studies and in storage of the material, and the relatively high frequency of false negative results for chemically fixed specimens. We therefore investigated the application of freeze-drying technology to assess the feasibility and reliability of this technique as an alternative method for diagnostic breast pathology. Morphological and immunohistochemical studies were performed on snap-frozen, freeze-dried and paraffin-embedded tissue obtained from 16 cases of benign and malignant breast neoplasms. Our results showed good preservation of tissue morphology, similar to standard formalin fixation, and excellent preservation of antigenic reactivity of nuclear receptors, comparable to that obtained with cryostat sections. We therefore suggest that freeze drying and paraffin embedding of frozen tissue blocks is equivalent or even preferable to formalin fixation for the demonstration of oestrogen and progesterone receptors, at least in the case of small tumours.     

聚乳酸类定向缓释疫苗微粒投递系统的应用进展

本文综述了以聚乳酸、聚乙醇酸及其共聚物为生物降解材料 ,制备疫苗微粒投递系统的常用方法 ,讨论了影响微粒特性的主要因素 ,并着重介绍了近年来聚乳酸及其共聚物在疫苗微粒投递系统的研究进展。     

Influence of in vitro differentiation status on the in vivo bone regeneration of cell/chitosan microspheres using a rat cranial defect model

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the in vitro osteogenic differentiation status on the in vivo bone regeneration of cell/chitosan microspheres qualitatively and quantitatively. To this end, rat bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) were seeded onto apatite-coated chitosan microspheres. The constructs were osteogenically differentiated for 0, 7, 14, and 21?days followed by calvarial defect implantation in vivo for up to 8?weeks. In vitro studies showed that BMSCs in the constructs proliferated from day 0 to day 7. The activity and gene expression of alkaline phosphatise increased from day 0 to day 14 and then decreased. The gene expression of collagen type I and osteocalcin peaked at day 21. In vivo, constructs retrieved from day 0 group were filled with fibrous tissues and capillaries, but no bone formation was observed. Constructs retrieved from day 7 and day 21 groups showed progressive bone formation, whereas those retrieved from day 14 group had the highest percentage of bone formation. These data suggested that to generate a substantial amount of bone in vivo, not only the in vitro osteogenic differentiation was necessary, but also the period of pre-differentiation was important for the cell-scaffold constructs. The period of pre-differentiation for 14?days was found to be the most suitable for chitosan microspheres.     

Reconstruction of parodontal tissue with chitosan

Chitosan ascorbate, obtained by mixing chitosan with ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate, was produced in a gel form suitable for the treatment of periodontitis according to current dental surgery. While chitosan ascorbate underwent degradation in vitro, especially in the presence of atmospheric oxygen and at pH 6.0, the protection from oxygen offered by the surgical cements and the physiological pH value permitted chitosan ascorbate to play an important biological role in vivo, where it kept a honeycomb structure, as indicated by SEM on biopsies taken on 10 patients. The proliferation and organization of the cells were thus favoured with a subsequent enhanced capability of reconstructing a histoarchitectural tissue. Chitosan was progressively reabsorbed by the host, with very satisfactory clinical recoveries of the 52 defects treated, for which tooth mobility and pocket depths were significantly reduced.     

壳聚糖纳米粒在基因治疗中的应用

壳聚糖是自然界存在的唯一的碱性多糖，具有良好的生物粘附性、生物可降解性及生物相容性。用壳聚糖制备的纳米粒具有助渗作用及生物粘附性，在基因递送载体的研究中具有广阔的发展前景。     

壳聚糖的止血机理和应用

壳聚糖在医学领域的应用越来越广泛。本文简述了壳聚糖止血机理研究的进展 ,指出它的止血机理不是常规的依赖于血小板和凝血因子的瀑布机制。壳聚糖止血机制中的重要一环是通过对红细胞作用 ,使红细胞发生粘附聚集从而使血液凝固。另外 ,本文对壳聚糖在止血剂中的应用也作了简要的介绍。     

免疫磁性海藻酸钠载药纳米微球的制备与评价

靶向治疗系统是目前研究的热点,用微乳化-离子交联方法制备包覆阿霉素的碳包铁/海藻酸钠复合纳米微球,以水溶性碳二亚胺为交联剂,将载药微球与单抗Hab18连接,制备出了免疫磁性药物纳米微球.对该免疫磁性微球的理化性能进行了表征,同时检测了免疫磁性微球中抗体的活性和免疫磁性微球与靶细胞的体外结合情况,结果表明,免疫磁性药物纳米微球平均粒径约为171.2nm,外观为球型,铁含量为14.6%,载药量为10.8%,且具有强磁响应性和长时间药物缓释效果.同时在体外该微球能够与靶细胞特异性结合.这种免疫磁性药物纳米微球有望成为一种优良的靶向肿瘤药物载体.