Hidrogel nanoreforzado par la liberación de proteínas en la refeneración de piel

[ES] El objetivo del proyecto es el desarrollo de membranas de hidrogel producidas por electrohilado desde las que se pueda liberar un fármaco. De cara a dotar al gel de consistencia mecánica y para modular la cinética de liberación, se introducirá un refuerzo por nanoarcillas que se exfolian en la disolución del polímero. El proyecto en el que está involucrado nuestro grupo de investigación pretende la liberación local de la proteína LL37. Sin embargo debido a su alto consto, en la puesta a punto de la membrana se van a utilizar otras proteínas modelo. Se preparará una susupensión de nanopartículas en la disolución del polímero en un disolvente adecuado conteniendo la proteína que se pretende liberar. Esta suspensión se someterá a un proceso de electrohilado para producir la membrana de nanofibras. Se analizará la influencia de los parámetros del procesado sobre la formación de las nanofibras. Por otra parte se caracterizará la cinética de liberación en medio acuoso.[EN] The aim of this project is to produce electrospun hydrogel membranes (polyvinyl alcohol, PVA) for drug delivery. To provide mechanical consistency to the gel and to modulate the delivery kinetics, a reinforcement of exfoliated nanoclays will be introduced in the polymer matrix. The project in which our research group is involved, intend the local delivery of the protein LL37. Nevertheless, owing to its high cost, other model proteins will be used in the tuning of the membrane. A suspension of nanoparticles in the polymer solution will be prepared in an adequate solvent containing the protein that is expected to be delivered. This suspension will be subjected to an electrospinning process to produce the nanofiber mat. The influence of the process parameters over the nanofibers microstructure will be analyzed. On the other hand, the delivery kinetics in an aqueous medium will be characterized.Ferrández Rives, M. (2016). Hidrogel nanoreforzado par la liberación de proteínas en la refeneración de piel. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/68585.TFG

Proper cytoskeleton α‐tubulin distribution is concomitant to tyrosine phosphorylation during in vitro capacitation and acrosomal reaction in human spermatozoa

Spermatozoa motility is a key parameter during the fertilization process. In this context, spermatozoa tyrosine protein phosphorylation and an appropriate cytoskeleton α‐tubulin distribution are some of the most important physiological events involved in motility. However, the relationship between these two biomarkers remains poorly defined. Here, we characterized simultaneously by immunocytochemistry the α‐tubulin (TUBA4A) distribution and the tyrosine phosphorylation at flagellum before capacitation, during different capacitation times (1 and 4 hr), and after acrosome reaction induction in human spermatozoa. We found that the absence of spermatozoa phosphorylation in tyrosine residues positively and significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with the terminal piece α‐tubulin flagellar distribution in all physiological conditions. Conversely, we observed a positive significant correlation (p < 0.01) between phosphorylated spermatozoa and continuous α‐tubulin distribution in spermatozoa flagellum, independently of the physiological condition. Similarly, the subpopulation of spermatozoa with tyrosine phosphorylated and continuous α‐tubulin increases with longer capacitation times and after the acrosome reaction induction. Overall, these findings provide novel insights into the post‐transcriptional physiological events associated to α‐tubulin and the tyrosine phosphorylation during fertilization, which present potential implications for the improvement of spermatozoa selection methods.This research was supported by Human Fertility Cathedra of the University of Alicante, VIOGROB-186, and the project of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness AGL2015-70159-P

Electrospun PVA/Bentonite Nanocomposites Mats for Drug Delivery

Electrospun mats and films of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel are produced for drug delivery. To provide mechanical consistency to the gel a reinforcement by nanoclays is introduced in the polymer matrix. Four different suspensions of nanoparticles in the polymer solution are prepared in an adequate solvent. These suspensions are subjected to an electrospinning process to produce the nanofiber mat, while films are produced by casting. The influence of the process parameters over the nanofibers microstructure is analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effectiveness of nanoclay encapsulation in the nanocomposites is tested by a thermogravimetric analysis. A crosslinking reaction in solution is carried out to prevent the dissolution of the nanocomposites in aqueous media. A model protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA) is absorbed in the nanocomposites to characterize the release kinetics in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)