Egg white/poly (vinyl alcohol)/MMT nanocomposite hydrogels for wound dressing

Nanocomposite hydrogels on the basis of egg white and poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) containing 0, 5, and 10 wt.% of montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclay were prepared by a facile cyclic freezing–thawing technique and their properties investigated for wound dressing application. The morphological, structural, thermal, physical, and in vitro cytotoxic properties of the prepared nanocomposite hydrogel wound dressings (NHWDs) were experimentally studied. The NHWDs had an exfoliated morphology with a porous structure having pores sizes in the nanometric scale. It was shown that MMT acted as cross-linker in the network of NHWDs and improved their thermal stabilities. The prepared wound dressings were transparent and their equilibrium water contents and water vapor transmission rates, as two important factors of wound dressings, were very close to the properties of human skin which means that the prepared wound dressings could interact appropriately with the damaged tissues of wounds and protect them like an artificial skin during the wound healing process. The in vitro cytotoxicity assay also confirmed the non-cytotoxic nature of the prepared NHWDs. It was finally concluded that the prepared egg white/PVA/MMT nanocomposite hydrogels are promising materials to be used as novel wound dressings in wound and burn care.     

Fabrication and characterization of phlorotannins/poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogel for wound healing application

Abstract

Phlorotannins (PH) derived from brown algae have been shown to have biological effects. However, the application of PH in biomedical materials has not been investigated. Here, we investigated the effects of PH on normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF) proliferation and fabricated a composite hydrogel consisting PH and poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) (PVA/PH) by a freezing-thawing method for wound healing applications. Cell proliferation was significantly higher in the PH-treated (0.01 and 0.02%) cells than in non-treated cells. Based on the mechanical properties, the PVA/PH hydrogel had a significantly increased swelling ratio and ultimate strain compared to the PVA hydrogel, but the ultimate tensile strength and tensile modulus were decreased. Additionally, cell attachment and proliferation on the composites were evaluated using NHDFs. The results showed that after 1 and 5 days, cell attachment and proliferation were significantly increased on the PVA/PH hydrogel compared with that on the PVA hydrogel. The findings from this study suggest that the PVA/PH hydrogel may be a candidate biomedical material for wound healing applications.     

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of new PRP antibacterial moisturizing dressings for infectious wound repair

In this study, a solution chitosan fibroin emulsion with added Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) was freeze-dried to be the scaffold, and an asymmetric coating was formed on one side. PRP was loaded onto the composite scaffold using a secondary lyophilization technology to prepare the tissue engineering dressings. AgNPs were characterized using a transmission electron microscope. The morphologies of the composite dressing were examined under a scanning electron microscope. The silver content of the dressing was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The asymmetric wettability of the composite dressing was demonstrated by water contact angle measurement. Relatively high porosity, favourable moisture retention capability and appropriate tensile strength were observed by measuring the physical and mechanical properties. Satisfactory antibacterial properties against various bacteria and microbial isolation performance were observed by the antibacterial effect analysis in vitro. The total protein slow-release property was measured using the BCA assay. Good biocompatibility and lower sensitization were examined both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the healing effciency of the composite dressing on infected wound were examined in mice infected wound models. Analysis of wound healing rates, bacterial cultures of wound exudate, whole blood cell analysis and histological examination all showed satisfactory results. These results are demonstrated to provide a potential and possible pathway to promote wound tissue repair and regeneration.     

In vitro and in vivo assays of isopropanol for mutagenicity

To assess the mutagenic potential of isopropanol, an in vitro Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell/HGPRT gene mutation assay and a bone marrow micronucleus study in mice were conducted. In the CHO/HGPRT assay, concentration levels ranged from 0.5 to 5.0 mg/ml. No elevated mutant frequencies attributable to treatment were observed in the test under either activated or non-activated conditions. In the micronucleus assay, mice were injected intraperitoneally (IP) with either 350, 1,173, or 2,500 mg/kg of isopropanol at constant volumes of 10 ml/kg. No increased incidence of micronuclei was observed in bone marrow polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) harvested at 24, 48, or 72 hr post-dosing. In both assays, negative and positive control mutant frequencies were within historical control ranges. These results, in conjunction with previously published data, clearly demonstrate that isopropanol is not a mutagen. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

In vitro and in vivo mammalian mutation assays support a nonmutagenic mechanism of carcinogenicity for hydrazine

Hydrazine has been described as a mutagenic, probable human carcinogen. It is mutagenic in in vitro systems such as bacterial reverse mutation (Ames) tests and some yeast systems, as well as in in vivo systems with drosophila. It was shown to cause chromosome damage both in vitro and in vivo but was negative in some well‐validated mammalian mutation systems such as CHO HPRT assays. Importantly, there is only one in vivo gene mutation test reported, which was negative. Our objective was to determine if hydrazine is mutagenic in mammalian test systems. Thus, we conducted an in vitro gene mutation test in Muta?Mouse lung epithelial cells (FE1 cell assay) and a regulatory‐compliant in vivo Big Blue® mouse test. Consistent with previous reports, an additional six‐well Ames assay showed that hydrazine was mutagenic to bacteria. The FE1 cell assay was negative in conditions with and without metabolic activation when tested to cytotoxicity limits. In the Big Blue® mouse study, female mice received dosages of hydrazine up to 10.9 mg/kg via drinking water for 28 days. This dose is comparable to a dose used in a carcinogenicity study where female mice had significant increases in hepatocellular adenoma at 11.5 mg/kg. There were no increases in mutant frequency in liver and lung, two tissues sensitive to the carcinogenic effects of hydrazine in mice. Our research shows that hydrazine is not mutagenic in mammalian cells either in vitro or in vivo, indicating mutagenicity may not play a role in the carcinogenicity of hydrazine.     

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the chitosan/Tur composite film for wound healing applications

We have developed tourmaline/chitosan (Tur/CS) composite films for wound healing applications. The characteristics of composite films were studied by optical microscope, infrared spectra and X-ray diffraction. Tur particles were uniformly distributed in the CS film and the crystal structure of CS was not remarkably changed except the decrease of crystallinity. The influence of Tur on wound healing applications was characterized by modulating Tur concentrations in the Tur/CS composite film prepared by loading Tur powder into CS matrix with different proportion (0, 1/40 and 1/10). Then L929 cells were co-cultured on the composite films to access the cytotoxicity in vitro. Tur concentrations strongly influenced cell process extension. Tur/CS composite film with 1/40 mass ratio could promote the cell adhesion and proliferation. Fewer and shorter processes were observed at high Tur density. When the composite films were transplanted on porcine full-thickness burn wounds, histological results demonstrated that the Tur/CS group with 1/40 mass ratio had a significantly higher number of newly-formed and mature blood vessels, and fastest regeneration of dermis. Based on the observed facts these films can be tailored for their potential utilization in wound healing and skin tissue engineering applications.     

Supramolecular elastomer based on polydimethylsiloxanes (SESi) film: synthesis,characterization, biocompatibility,and its application in the context of wound dressing

Supramolecular elastomer based on polydimethylsiloxanes (SESi) is a kind of novel elastomer cross-linked by the multihydrogen bonds supplied by the functional groups linked to the end of the PDMS chains, such as amide, imidazolidone, pending urea (1,1-dialkyl urea), and bridging urea (1,3-dialkyl urea). SESi showed lower glass transition temperature (T _g) at about ?113?°C because of the softer chain of PDMS, and could show real rubber-like elastic behaviors and acceptable water vapor transmission rate under room temperature. The high biocompatibility of SESi in the form of films was demonstrated by the cytotoxicity evaluation (MTT cytotoxicity assay and direct contact assay), hemolysis assay, and skin irritation evaluation. Based on detailed comparisons between commercial Tegaderm^? film and SESi film using a full-thickness rat skin model experiment, it was found that SESi film showed similar wound contraction rate as that of Tegaderm^? film on day seven, 10, and 14; only on day five, SESi film showed a significant (p?<?0.05) lower wound contraction rate. And, the wounds covered with SESi film were filled with new epithelium without any significant adverse reactions, similar with that of Tegaderm^? film.     

可注射、组织黏附性PVA/淀粉水凝胶对力学失稳条件下关节软骨退变抑制作用的研究

目的 制备一种仿生正常关节滑液流变学特征的组织黏附性可注射水凝胶,并研究该水凝胶抑制膝关节创伤后软骨退变的效果及其可能的机制。方法 以聚乙烯醇溶液（PVA）、淀粉和氯化钠为主要原料制备可注射、组织黏附性水凝胶（PWN）。通过流变学测试、注射器推出实验、体外降解实验、CCK-8实验、活/死细胞染色、细菌黏附实验、组织黏附实验分别对其流变学性能、可注射性、降解性能、细胞相容性、抗细菌黏附性能和组织黏附性能进行表征。构建大鼠膝关节力学失稳模型,并分为正常组、PWN组、透明质酸组（HA组）与未治疗组,其中PWN组、HA组术后1周时注射PWN与HA进行治疗。治疗4周后取大鼠膝关节标本进行Micro-CT分析和组织学染色分析,对比评估PWN对关节软骨退变的抑制作用。结果 PWN具有良好的细胞相容性和可注射性。此外,相比于HA,PWN的流变学特征更接近正常关节滑液,并且PWN具有缓慢降解的特性、更高的组织黏附性能和抗细菌黏附的能力。动物实验Micro-CT分析结果显示,PWN组软骨下骨的骨密度和骨体积/组织体积均显著高于未治疗组和HA组（P<0.05）。同时,番红快绿染色结果显示,相比于HA组...