Nanocomposites Based on Biodegradable Polymers for Tissue Engineering Applications

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Biology and Medicines".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 August 2020) | Viewed by 32950

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Unit, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, 06126 Perugia, Italy
Interests: stem cell–biomaterial interaction; mecchanotransduction; stem cell reprogramming; gene/stem cell therapy; regenerative medicine; lysosomal storage disorders; neurodegenerative diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization (DEIM), University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Interests: carbon nanotubes; biomaterials; polymer nanocomposites; surface properties; tissue enginneering; biodegradable polymers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue aims at covering the most recent advances in the applications of nanocomposites in tissue engineering.

Tissue engineering refers to biotechnological approaches aimed at replacing or repairing damaged tissues by combining the therapeutic potentials of stem cells with natural or synthetic biomaterials. It is largely demonstrated that a successful tissue engineering strategy is the result of the molecular cross-talk between stem cells and the chemical/physical characteristics of the biomaterials. The latter provides a three-dimensional structure where stem cells adhere, proliferate, and are stirred towards a selected differentiation lineage.

In the last two decades, attempts have been made to develop tissue-specific biomaterials. The idea is to create a biomaterial that mimics the tissue architecture and serves as an active stimulator of the tissue-specific differentiation of stem cells. In this regard, nanocomposites based on biodegradable polymers due to their tunable properties (mechanical, conductive, thermal, surface modification, etc.) have been widely explored. 

This Special Issue aims to cover the following broad range of subjects:

  • Stem cell-biomaterial interaction and tissue engineering;
  • The design, fabrication, and characterization of nanocomposites based on biodegradable polymers for biomedical applications;
  • Nanocomposites based on biodegradable polymers in the tissue engineering of bone, nerve, heart, and other regenerative medicine applications;
  • Nanocomposites based on biodegradable polymers in drug delivery systems for biomedical applications.

We invite authors to contribute original articles or comprehensive reviews.

Prof. Sabata Martino
Dr. Ilaria Armentano
Guest Editors

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 5449 KiB  
Article
Functionalized Silica Star-Shaped Nanoparticles and Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells: An In Vitro Model
by Chiara Argentati, Francesco Morena, Chiara Fontana, Ilaria Tortorella, Carla Emiliani, Loredana Latterini, Giulia Zampini and Sabata Martino
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(3), 779; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11030779 - 18 Mar 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3901
Abstract
The biomedical translational applications of functionalized nanoparticles require comprehensive studies on their effect on human stem cells. Here, we have tested neat star-shaped mesoporous silica nanoparticles (s-MSN) and their chemically functionalized derivates; we examined nanoparticles (NPs) with similar dimensions but different surface chemistry, [...] Read more.
The biomedical translational applications of functionalized nanoparticles require comprehensive studies on their effect on human stem cells. Here, we have tested neat star-shaped mesoporous silica nanoparticles (s-MSN) and their chemically functionalized derivates; we examined nanoparticles (NPs) with similar dimensions but different surface chemistry, due to the amino groups grafted on silica nanoparticles (s-MSN-NH2), and gold nanoseeds chemically adsorbed on silica nanoparticles (s-MSN-Au). The different samples were dropped on glass coverslips to obtain a homogeneous deposition differing only for NPs’ chemical functionalization and suitable for long-term culture of human Bone Marrow–Mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) and Adipose stem cells (hASCs). Our model allowed us to demonstrate that hBM-MSCs and hASCs have comparable growth curves, viability, and canonical Vinculin Focal adhesion spots on functionalized s-MSN-NH2 and s-MSN-Au as on neat s-MSN and control systems, but also to show morphological changes on all NP types compared to the control counterparts. The new shape was stem-cell-specific and was maintained on all types of NPs. Compared to the other NPs, s-MSN-Au exerted a small genotoxic effect on both stem cell types, which, however, did not affect the stem cell behavior, likely due to a peculiar stem cell metabolic restoration response. Full article
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21 pages, 5719 KiB  
Article
Novel Nanocomposite PLA Films with Lignin/Zinc Oxide Hybrids: Design, Characterization, Interaction with Mesenchymal Stem Cells
by Francesca Luzi, Ilaria Tortorella, Alessandro Di Michele, Franco Dominici, Chiara Argentati, Francesco Morena, Luigi Torre, Debora Puglia and Sabata Martino
Nanomaterials 2020, 10(11), 2176; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10112176 - 31 Oct 2020
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 3769
Abstract
Herein we present the production of novel nanocomposite films consisting of polylactic acid (PLA) polymer and the inclusion of nanoparticles of lignin (LNP), ZnO and hybrid ZnO@LNP (ZnO, 3.5% wt, ICP), characterized by similar regular shapes and different diameter distribution (30–70 nm and [...] Read more.
Herein we present the production of novel nanocomposite films consisting of polylactic acid (PLA) polymer and the inclusion of nanoparticles of lignin (LNP), ZnO and hybrid ZnO@LNP (ZnO, 3.5% wt, ICP), characterized by similar regular shapes and different diameter distribution (30–70 nm and 100–150 nm, respectively). The obtained set of binary, ternary and quaternary systems were similar in surface wettability and morphology but different in the tensile performance: while the presence of LNP and ZnO in PLA caused a reduction of elastic modulus, stress and deformation at break, the inclusion of ZnO@LNP increased the stiffness and tensile strength (σb = 65.9 MPa and EYoung = 3030 MPa) with respect to neat PLA (σb = 37.4 MPa and EYoung = 2280 MPa). Neat and nanocomposite PLA-derived films were suitable for adult human bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells and adipose stem cell cultures, as showed by their viability and behavior comparable to control conditions. Both stem cell types adhered to the films’ surface by vinculin focal adhesion spots and responded to the films’ mechanical properties by orchestrating the F-actin–filamin A interaction. Collectively, our results support the biomedical application of neat- and nanocomposite-PLA films and, based on the absence of toxicity in seeded stem cells, provide a proof of principle of their safety for food packaging purposes. Full article
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14 pages, 5319 KiB  
Article
XPS Modeling of Immobilized Recombinant Angiogenin and Apoliprotein A1 on Biodegradable Nanofibers
by Anton Manakhov, Elizaveta Permyakova, Sergey Ershov, Svetlana Miroshnichenko, Mariya Pykhtina, Anatoly Beklemishev, Andrey Kovalskii and Anastasiya Solovieva
Nanomaterials 2020, 10(5), 879; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10050879 - 2 May 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3540
Abstract
The immobilization of viable proteins is an important step in engineering efficient scaffolds for regenerative medicine. For example, angiogenin, a vascular growth factor, can be considered a neurotrophic factor, influencing the neurogenesis, viability, and migration of neurons. Angiogenin shows an exceptional combination of [...] Read more.
The immobilization of viable proteins is an important step in engineering efficient scaffolds for regenerative medicine. For example, angiogenin, a vascular growth factor, can be considered a neurotrophic factor, influencing the neurogenesis, viability, and migration of neurons. Angiogenin shows an exceptional combination of angiogenic, neurotrophic, neuroprotective, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities. Therefore, this protein is a promising molecule that can be immobilized on carriers used for tissue engineering, particularly for diseases that are complicated by neurotrophic and vascular disorders. Another highly important and viable protein is apoliprotein A1. Nevertheless, the immobilization of these proteins onto promising biodegradable nanofibers has not been tested before. In this work, we carefully studied the immobilization of human recombinant angiogenin and apoliprotein A1 onto plasma-coated nanofibers. We developed a new methodology for the quantification of the protein density of these proteins using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and modeled the XPS data for angiogenin and apoliprotein A1 (Apo-A1). These findings were also confirmed by the analysis of immobilized Apo-A1 using fluorescent microscopy. The presented methodology was validated by the analysis of fibronectin on the surface of plasma-coated poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibers. This methodology can be expanded for other proteins and it should help to quantify the density of proteins on surfaces using routine XPS data treatment. Full article
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10 pages, 4812 KiB  
Communication
Study of 1D and 2D Carbon Nanomaterial in Alginate Films
by Beatriz Salesa, Mar Llorens-Gámez and Ángel Serrano-Aroca
Nanomaterials 2020, 10(2), 206; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10020206 - 24 Jan 2020
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 4307
Abstract
Alginate-based materials hold great promise in bioengineering applications such as skin wound healing and scaffolds for tissue engineering. Nevertheless, cell adhesion of mammalian cells on these hydrophilic materials is very poor. In cases such as polycaprolactone, poly(hydroxy-3-butyrate-co-3-valerate) and gelatin, the incorporation of hydrophobic [...] Read more.
Alginate-based materials hold great promise in bioengineering applications such as skin wound healing and scaffolds for tissue engineering. Nevertheless, cell adhesion of mammalian cells on these hydrophilic materials is very poor. In cases such as polycaprolactone, poly(hydroxy-3-butyrate-co-3-valerate) and gelatin, the incorporation of hydrophobic carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and hydrophilic graphene oxide (GO) has shown significant improvement of cell adhesion and proliferation. The incorporation of these carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) into alginate films can enhance their mechanical performance, wettability, water diffusion and antibacterial properties. Herein, we report the effect of adding these CNMs into alginate films on cell adhesion for the first time. Thus, the results of this study showed that these nanocomposites are non-cytotoxic in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells. Nevertheless, contrary to what has been reported for other polymers, cell adhesion on these advanced alginate-based composites was not improved. Therefore, both types of composite films possess similar biological behavior, in terms of cell adhesion and non-cytotoxicity, and enhanced physical and antibacterial properties in comparison to neat alginate for potential biomedical and bioengineering applications. Full article
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16 pages, 4673 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Different Approaches to Surface Functionalization of Biodegradable Polycaprolactone Scaffolds
by Elizaveta S. Permyakova, Philipp V. Kiryukhantsev-Korneev, Kristina Yu. Gudz, Anton S. Konopatsky, Josef Polčak, Irina Y. Zhitnyak, Natalia A. Gloushankova, D. V. Shtansky and Anton M. Manakhov
Nanomaterials 2019, 9(12), 1769; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9121769 - 12 Dec 2019
Cited by 40 | Viewed by 4794
Abstract
Due to their good mechanical stability compared to gelatin, collagen or polyethylene glycol nanofibers and slow degradation rate, biodegradable poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) nanofibers are promising material as scaffolds for bone and soft-tissue engineering. Here, PCL nanofibers were prepared by the electrospinning method and then [...] Read more.
Due to their good mechanical stability compared to gelatin, collagen or polyethylene glycol nanofibers and slow degradation rate, biodegradable poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) nanofibers are promising material as scaffolds for bone and soft-tissue engineering. Here, PCL nanofibers were prepared by the electrospinning method and then subjected to surface functionalization aimed at improving their biocompatibility and bioactivity. For surface modification, two approaches were used: (i) COOH-containing polymer was deposited on the PCL surface using atmospheric pressure plasma copolymerization of CO2 and C2H4, and (ii) PCL nanofibers were coated with multifunctional bioactive nanostructured TiCaPCON film by magnetron sputtering of TiC–CaO–Ti3POx target. To evaluate bone regeneration ability in vitro, the surface-modified PCL nanofibers were immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF, 1×) for 21 days. The results obtained indicate different osteoblastic and epithelial cell response depending on the modification method. The TiCaPCON-coated PCL nanofibers exhibited enhanced adhesion and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells, promoted the formation of Ca-based mineralized layer in SBF and, therefore, can be considered as promising material for bone tissue regeneration. The PCL–COOH nanofibers demonstrated improved adhesion and proliferation of IAR-2 cells, which shows their high potential for skin reparation and wound dressing. Full article
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Review

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33 pages, 5596 KiB  
Review
Potential Applications of Magnesium-Based Polymeric Nanocomposites Obtained by Electrospinning Technique
by Adrián Leonés, Marcela Lieblich, Rosario Benavente, José Luis Gonzalez and Laura Peponi
Nanomaterials 2020, 10(8), 1524; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10081524 - 4 Aug 2020
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 4155
Abstract
In the last few decades, the development of new electrospun materials with different morphologies and advanced multifunctional properties are strongly consolidated. There are several reviews that describe the processing, use and characterization of electrospun nanocomposites, however, based on our knowledge, no review on [...] Read more.
In the last few decades, the development of new electrospun materials with different morphologies and advanced multifunctional properties are strongly consolidated. There are several reviews that describe the processing, use and characterization of electrospun nanocomposites, however, based on our knowledge, no review on electrospun nanocomposites reinforced with nanoparticles (NPs) based on magnesium, Mg-based NPs, are reported. Therefore, in the present review, we focus attention on the fabrication of these promising electrospun materials and their potential applications. Firstly, the electrospinning technique and its main processing window-parameters are described, as well as some post-processing methods used to obtain Mg-based materials. Then, the applications of Mg-based electrospun nanocomposites in different fields are pointed out, thus taking into account the current trend in developing inorganic-organic nanocomposites to gradually satisfy the challenges that the industry generates. Mg-based electrospun nanocomposites are becoming an attractive field of research for environmental remediation (waste-water cleaning and air filtration) as well as for novel technical textiles. However, the mayor application of Mg-based electrospun materials is in the biomedical field, as pointed out. Therefore, this review aims to clarify the tendency in using electrospinning technique and Mg-based nanoparticles to huge development at industrial level in the near future. Full article
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41 pages, 19553 KiB  
Review
Antibacterial Activities of Aliphatic Polyester Nanocomposites with Silver Nanoparticles and/or Graphene Oxide Sheets
by Chengzhu Liao, Yuchao Li and Sie Chin Tjong
Nanomaterials 2019, 9(8), 1102; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9081102 - 1 Aug 2019
Cited by 47 | Viewed by 7462
Abstract
Aliphatic polyesters such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) copolymers have been widely used as biomaterials for tissue engineering applications including: bone fixation devices, bone scaffolds, and wound dressings in orthopedics. However, biodegradable aliphatic polyesters are prone to bacterial [...] Read more.
Aliphatic polyesters such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) copolymers have been widely used as biomaterials for tissue engineering applications including: bone fixation devices, bone scaffolds, and wound dressings in orthopedics. However, biodegradable aliphatic polyesters are prone to bacterial infections due to the lack of antibacterial moieties in their macromolecular chains. In this respect, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), graphene oxide (GO) sheets and AgNPs-GO hybrids can be used as reinforcing nanofillers for aliphatic polyesters in forming antimicrobial nanocomposites. However, polymeric matrix materials immobilize nanofillers to a large extent so that they cannot penetrate bacterial membrane into cytoplasm as in the case of colloidal nanoparticles or nanosheets. Accordingly, loaded GO sheets of aliphatic polyester nanocomposites have lost their antibacterial functions such as nanoknife cutting, blanket wrapping and membrane phospholipid extraction. In contrast, AgNPs fillers of polyester nanocomposites can release silver ions for destroying bacterial cells. Thus, AgNPs fillers are more effective than loaded GO sheets of polyester nanocomposiites in inhibiting bacterial infections. Aliphatic polyester nanocomposites with AgNPs and AgNPs-GO fillers are effective to kill multi-drug resistant bacteria that cause medical device-related infections. Full article
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