Tetracycline-Loaded Electrospun Poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) Membranes for One-Step Periodontal Treatment

In this research, a one-step periodontal membrane, with the required function and properties, has been designed as an alternative method of tissue regenerative treatments. Designed nanoporous prototypes from poly(l-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL, 70:30 mol %) were fabricated by electrospinning, denoted as S-PLCL. They were subsequently loaded with tetracycline (TC) in order to enhance periodontal regeneration and deliver an anti-inflammatory and antibiotic drug. It was found that TC loading did not have any significant effect on the fiber diameter but did increase hydrophilicity. With the increase in TC loading, the water vapor permeability (WVP) of the S-PLCL membrane decreased within the range of 31–56% when compared with neat S-PLCL membranes, while in the solvent-cast film (F-PLCL), no significant change in WVP was observed. Moreover, S-PLCL demonstrated a controllable slow release rate of TC. S-PLCL loaded with 1500 μg/mL of TC showed a release concentration of 30 ppm over a certain time period to promote greater levels of human oral fibroblast and human oral keratinocyte cell proliferation and plaque inhibition. In conclusion, a TC-loaded S-PLCL fibrous membrane has been designed and fabricated to provide the ideal conditions for cell proliferation and antibiotic activity during treatment, outperforming nonfibrous F-PLCL loaded with TC at the same concentration

3D-printed PLA/PEO blend as biodegradable substrate coating with CoCl2 for colorimetric humidity detection

This study aimed to fabricate biodegradable substrate with colorimetric humidity indicator for detective moisture in food packaging. The poor properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were enhanced by melt blending PLA with non-toxic poly(ethylene oxide) PEO at 180 °C. Specifically, three-dimensional (3D) substrates of PLA/PEO blends were fabricated by solvent-cast 3D printing. Furthermore, cobalt chloride (CoCl2) solution was printed onto the substrate with an inkjet printer to serve as a colorimetric humidity sensing indicator. It found that the flexibility and thermal stability of the PLA were improved and the hydrophilicity was increased with an increase in PEO content. Color changes and the sensitivity of this material were confirmed using image analysis and total color difference. The CoCl2 indicator displayed color changes that ranged from blue to pink under ambient conditions (above 60%RH), revealing suitable potential for frozen food packaging material with aim to detect amount of moisture in the packaging

Biocompatibility Assessment of PLCL-Sericin Copolymer Membranes Using Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Stem cells based tissue engineering requires biocompatible materials, which allow the cells to adhere, expand, and differentiate in a large scale. An ideal biomaterial for clinical application should be free from mammalian products which cause immune reactivities and pathogen infections. We invented a novel biodegradable poly(L-lactic-co-ε-caprolactone)-sericin (PLCL-SC) copolymer membrane which was fabricated by electrospinning. Membranes with concentrations of 2.5 or 5% (w/v) SC exhibited qualified texture characteristics with a noncytotoxic release profile. The hydrophilic properties of the membranes were 35–40% higher than those of a standard PLCL and commercial polystyrene (PS). The improved characteristics of the membranes were due to an addition of new functional amide groups, C=O, N–H, and C–N, onto their surfaces. Degradation of the membranes was controllable, depending on the content proportion of SC. Results of thermogram indicated the superior stability and crystallinity of the membranes. These membranes enhanced human Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells (hWJMSC) proliferation by increasing cyclin A and also promoted cell adhesion by upregulating focal adhesion kinase (FAK). On the membranes, hWJMSC differentiated into a neuronal lineage with the occurrence of nestin. These data suggest that PLCL-SC electrospun membrane represents some properties which will be useful for tissue engineering and medical applications

Preparation and Characterization of PLG Microparticles by the Multiple Emulsion Method for the Sustained Release of Proteins

Rapid release and diminished stability are two of the limitations associated with the growth factors that are essentially used in dental applications. These growth factors are employed to enhance the quality and quantity of tissue or bone matter during regeneration. Therefore, drug delivery devices and systems have been developed to address these limitations. In this study, bovine serum albumin (BSA), as a representative growth factor, was successfully sustained by encapsulation with the medium-absorbable copolymer, poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) 70:30% mol, via the multiple emulsion method. Different PLG, PVA, and BSA concentrations were used to investigate their effects on the BSA encapsulation efficiency. The suitable ratios leading to a better characterization of microparticles and a higher encapsulation efficiency in producing encapsulated PLG microparticles were 8% (w/v) of PLG, 0.25% (w/v) of PVA, and 8% (w/v) of BSA. Furthermore, an in vitro release study revealed a bursting release of BSA from the encapsulated PLG microsphere in the early phase of development. Subsequently, a gradual release was observed over a period of eight weeks. Furthermore, to encapsulate LL-37, different proteins were used in conjunction with PLG under identical conditions with regard to the loading efficiency and morphology, thereby indicating high variations and poor reproducibility. In conclusion, the encapsulated PLG microparticles could effectively protect the protein during encapsulation and could facilitate sustainable protein release over a period of 60 days. Importantly, an optimal method must be employed in order to achieve a high degree of encapsulation efficiency for all of the protein or growth factors. Accordingly, the outcomes of this study will be useful in the manufacture of drug delivery devices that require medium-sustained release growth factors, particularly in dental treatments

Surface-Modified Polypyrrole-Coated PLCL and PLGA Nerve Guide Conduits Fabricated by 3D Printing and Electrospinning

The efficiency of nerve guide conduits (NGCs) in repairing peripheral nerve injury is not high enough yet to be a substitute for autografts and is still insufficient for clinical use. To improve this efficiency, 3D electrospun scaffolds (3D/E) of poly(l-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) and poly(l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) were designed and fabricated by the combination of 3D printing and electrospinning techniques, resulting in an ideal porous architecture for NGCs. Polypyrrole (PPy) was deposited on PLCL and PLGA scaffolds to enhance biocompatibility for nerve recovery. The designed pore architecture of these “PLCL-3D/E” and “PLGA-3D/E” scaffolds exhibited a combination of nano- and microscale structures. The mean pore size of PLCL-3D/E and PLGA-3D/E scaffolds were 289 ± 79 and 287 ± 95 nm, respectively, which meets the required pore size for NGCs. Furthermore, the addition of PPy on the surfaces of both PLCL-3D/E (PLCL-3D/E/PPy) and PLGA-3D/E (PLGA-3D/E/PPy) led to an increase in their hydrophilicity, conductivity, and noncytotoxicity compared to noncoated PPy scaffolds. Both PLCL-3D/E/PPy and PLGA-3D/E/PPy showed conductivity maintained at 12.40 ± 0.12 and 10.50 ± 0.08 Scm–1 for up to 15 and 9 weeks, respectively, which are adequate for the electroconduction of neuron cells. Notably, the PLGA-3D/E/PPy scaffold showed superior cytocompatibility when compared with PLCL-3D/E/PPy, as evident via the viability assay, proliferation, and attachment of L929 and SC cells. Furthermore, analysis of cell health through membrane leakage and apoptotic indices showed that the 3D/E/PPy scaffolds displayed significant decreases in membrane leakage and reductions in necrotic tissue. Our finding suggests that these 3D/E/PPy scaffolds have a favorable design architecture and biocompatibility with potential for use in peripheral nerve regeneration applications

Plasma surface modification of two-component composite scaffolds consisting of 3D-printed and electrospun fiber components from biodegradable PLGA and PLCL

In this study, two-component, morphologically composite scaffolds consisting of a 3D-printed component and an electrospun fiber component were fabricated and treated with a nitrogen-argon (N2-Ar) plasma to enhance their surface properties. The 3D-printed component provided mechanical strength, while the electrospun fibrous component acted as a mimic to the extracellular matrix to improve cell-substrate interactions. Two biodegradable polyesters, poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) and poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), were used to create the scaffolds. The resulting 3D/E/N2-Ar scaffolds were characterized in terms of surface properties (morphology, chemical compositions, wettability, roughness, crystallinity), degradation, mechanical properties, and cell cytotoxicity, cell attachment and proliferation, LDH release and cell apoptosis. Results showed that the plasma treatment significantly increased the surface roughness, wettability, and hydrophilicity of the scaffolds. The 3D-printed component provided sufficient mechanical support, while the electrospun fiber component promoted cell attachment and proliferation. Following plasma treatment, the water contact angle of the scaffolds was greatly reduced from 124.0 ± 1.8° (PLCL) and 119.6 ± 1.4° (PLGA), to 0° and persisted even after 168 days. Human Schwann cells (SCs) showed excellent viability on both 3D/E/N2-Ar and 3D/E scaffolds were in excess of 95%. Cells cultivated on the 3D/E/N2-Ar scaffolds, with higher surface roughness, displayed significant increase in attachment and proliferation and a higher presence of healthy cells when compared with untreated 3D/E scaffolds. Both PLCL and PLGA scaffolds showed potential for use in biomedical applications. Although PLGA performed slightly better in terms of cell behavior, PLCL exhibited a slower degradation rate and higher tensile strain. These results demonstrate the potential of these designed scaffolds to support cell regeneration in clinically relevant devices such as nerve guide conduits and nerve protectant wraps