A comparison of physicochemical properties of sterilized chitosan hydrogel and its applicability in a canine model of periodontal regeneration

Spatiotemporal controlled released hydrogels for multi-system regulated bone regeneration

Bone defect is one of the urgent problems to be solved in clinics, and it is very important to construct efficient scaffold materials to facilitate bone tissue regeneration. Hydrogels, characterized by their unique three-dimensional network structure, serve as excellent biological scaffold materials. Their internal pores are capable of loading osteogenic drugs to expedite bone formation. The rate and quality of new bone formation are intimately linked with immune regulation and vascular remodeling. The strategic sequential release of drugs to balance inflammation and regulate vascular remodeling is crucial for initiating the osteogenic process. Through the design of hydrogel microstructures, it is possible to achieve sequential drug release and the drug action time can be prolonged, thereby catering to the multi-systemic collaborative regulation needs of osteosynthesis. The drug release rate within the hydrogel is governed by swelling control systems, physical control systems, chemical control systems, and environmental control systems. Utilizing these control systems to design hydrogel materials capable of multi-drug delivery optimizes the construction of the bone microenvironment. Consequently, this facilitates the spatiotemporal controlled released of drugs, promoting bone tissue regeneration. This paper reviews the principles of the controlled release system of various sustained-release hydrogels and the advancements in research on hydrogel multi-drug delivery systems for bone tissue regeneration.

Bioactive injectable mucoadhesive thermosensitive natural polymeric hydrogels for oral bone and periodontal regeneration

Periodontitis is an inflammation-related condition, caused by an infectious microbiome and host defense that causes damage to periodontium. The natural processes of the mouth, like saliva production and eating, significantly diminish therapeutic medication residency in the region of periodontal disease. Furthermore, the complexity and diversity of pathological mechanisms make successful periodontitis treatment challenging. As a result, developing enhanced local drug delivery technologies and logical therapy procedures provides the foundation for effective periodontitis treatment. Being biocompatible, biodegradable, and easily administered to the periodontal tissues, hydrogels have sparked substantial an intense curiosity in the discipline of periodontal therapy. The primary objective of hydrogel research has changed in recent years to intelligent thermosensitive hydrogels, that involve local adjustable sol-gel transformations and regulate medication release in reaction to temperature, we present a thorough introduction to the creation and efficient construction of new intelligent thermosensitive hydrogels for periodontal regeneration. We also address cutting-edge smart hydrogel treatment options based on periodontitis pathophysiology. Furthermore, the problems and prospective study objectives are reviewed, with a focus on establishing effective hydrogel delivery methods and prospective clinical applications.

New Insights in Hydrogels for Periodontal Regeneration

Periodontitis is a destructive inflammatory disease characterized by microbial infection that damages the tissues supporting the tooth (alveolar bone, gingiva, periodontal ligament, and cementum), ultimately resulting in the loss of teeth. The ultimate goal of periodontal therapy is to achieve the regeneration of all of the periodontal tissues. Thus, tissue engineering approaches have been evolving from simple membranes or grafts to more complex constructs. Hydrogels are highly hydrophilic polymeric networks with the ability to simulate the natural microenvironment of cells. In particular, hydrogels offer several advantages when compared to other forms of scaffolds, such as tissue mimicry and sustained drug delivery. Moreover, hydrogels can maintain a moist environment similar to the oral cavity. Hydrogels allow for precise placement and retention of regenerative materials at the defect site, minimizing the potential for off-target effects and ensuring that the treatment is focused on the specific defect site. As a mechanism of action, the sustained release of drugs presented by hydrogels allows for control of the disease by reducing the inflammation and attracting host cells to the defect site. Several therapeutic agents, such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and osteogenic drugs, have been loaded into hydrogels, presenting effective benefits in periodontal health and allowing for sustained drug release. This review discusses the causes and consequences of periodontal disease, as well as the advantages and limitations of current treatments applied in clinics. The main components of hydrogels for periodontal regeneration are discussed focusing on their different characteristics, outcomes, and strategies for drug delivery. Novel methods for the fabrication of hydrogels are highlighted, and clinical studies regarding the periodontal applications of hydrogels are reviewed. Finally, limitations in current research are discussed, and potential future directions are proposed.

Assessment of bone morphogenetic protein-7 loaded chitosan/β-Glycerophosphate hydrogel on periodontium tissues regeneration of class III furcation defects

Background

Periodontitis is a long-term, multifactorial inflammatory condition that is triggered by bacterial germs and interacts with the host's immune system. The unique attachment of fibrous tissue between the cementum and bone presents a challenge for periodontal regeneration.

Aim

To achieve the lowest optimum dose of BMP-7 that helps in periodontal regeneration, involving newly formed cementum, PDL and bone.

Materials and methods

Five healthy mongrel dogs were used for the study. A critical class III furcation defect was created using rotating burs. The bone defects (ten defects for each group) were allocated to one of the subsequent groups: (Group 1) control with the surgical defect only. (Group 2) Surgical defect implanted with hydrogel only (CS/β-GP). (Group 3) Surgical defect implanted with CS/BMP-7 (50 ng/ml). (Group 4) Surgical defect implanted with CS/BMP-7 (100 ng/ml).

Results

Histomorphometric and H&E analysis revealed a statistically significant difference in bone, PDL, and cementum regeneration defects filled with CS/BMP-7 (100 ng/ml) compared with other groups.

Conclusion

The standard effective dose for BMP-7 use in periodontal regeneration is 100 ng/ml.

Full-Thickness Oral Mucoperiosteal Defects: Challenges and Opportunities

Regenerative engineering strategies for the oral mucoperiosteum, as may be needed following surgeries, such as cleft palate repair and tumor resection, are underdeveloped compared with those for maxillofacial bone. However, critical-size tissue defects left to heal by secondary intention can lead to complications, such as infection, fistula formation, scarring, and midface hypoplasia. This review describes current clinical practice for replacing mucoperiosteal tissue, including autografts and allografts. Potentially paradigm-shifting experimental regenerative engineering strategies for mucoperiosteal wound healing, such as hybrid grafts and engineered matrices, are also discussed. Throughout the review, the advantages and disadvantages of each replacement or regeneration strategy are outlined in the context of clinical outcomes, quality of life for the patient, availability of materials, and cost of care. Finally, future directions for research and development in the area of mucoperiosteum repair are proposed, with an emphasis on identifying globally available and affordable solutions for promoting mucoperiosteal regeneration. Impact statement Unassisted oral mucoperiosteal wound healing can lead to severe complications such as infection, fistulae, scarring, and developmental abnormalities. Thus, strategies for promoting wound healing must be considered when mucoperiosteal defects are incident to oral surgery, as in palatoplasty or tumor resection. Emerging mucoperiosteal tissue engineering strategies, described in this study, have the potential to overcome the limitations of current standard-of-care donor tissue grafts. For example, the use of engineered mucoperiosteal biomaterials could circumvent concerns about tissue availability and immunogenicity. Moreover, employment of tissue engineering strategies may improve the equity of oral wound care by increasing global affordability and accessibility of materials.

Silymarin nanocrystals-laden chondroitin sulphate-based thermoreversible hydrogels; A promising approach for bioavailability enhancement

Hydrogels has gained tremendous interest as a controlled release drug delivery. However, currently it is a big challenge to attain high drug-loading as well as stable and sustained release of hydrophobic drugs. The poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability of many drugs have driven the need for research in new formulations. This manuscript hypothesized that incorporation of nanocrystals of hydrophobic drug, such as silymarin into thermoreversible hydrogel could be a solution to these problems. Herein, we prepared nanocrystals of silymarin by antisolvent precipitation technique and characterized for morphology, particle size, polydispersity index (PDI) and zeta potential. Moreover, physical cross-linking of hydrogel formulations based on chondroitin sulphate (CS), kappa-Carrageenan (κ-Cr) and Pluronic® F127 was confirmed by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The hydrogel gelation time and temperature of optimized hydrogel was 14 ± 3.2 s and 34 ± 0.6 °C, respectively. The release data revealed controlled release of silymarin up to 48 h and in-vivo pharmacokinetic profiling was done in rabbits and further analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It is believed that the nanocrystals loaded thermoreversible injectable hydrogel system fabricated in this study provides high drug loading as well as controlled and stable release of hydrophobic drug for extended period.

A berberine hydrochloride-carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogel protects against Staphylococcus aureus infection in a rat mastitis model

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is the major pathogen responsible for mastitis in dairy cows, an important threat to their health, but prevention of S. aureus infection of the mammary gland remains challenging. Berberine hydrochloride (BH), a naturally occurring phytochemical, exhibits a wide range of activities, including antibacterial effects on S. aureus. In this study, we prepared a novel berberine hydrochloride-carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogel (BH-CMCH) with excellent thermosensitivity, injectability and in vitro antibacterial activity. In a rat model of mastitis induced by S. aureus, mammary duct injection of BH-CMCH reduced the bacterial load in infected mammary gland tissue and protected the tissue from damage from infection. In addition, proteomics analysis showed that mammary duct injection of BH-CMCH enhanced autolysosome degradation and promoted the innate immune response by activating the lysosomal pathway and up-regulating related significantly differentially expressed proteins (SDEPs). Taken together, the findings support the potential of BH-CMCH as an antibacterial agent against S. aureus-induced mastitis.

Design and evaluation of chitosan-amino acid thermosensitive hydrogel

Chitosan/glycerophosphate thermosensitive hydrogel crosslinked physically was a potential drug delivery carrier; however, long gelation time limits its application. Here, chitosan-amino acid (AA) thermosensitive hydrogels were prepared from chitosan (CS), αβ-glycerophosphate (GP), and l-lysine (Lys) or l-glutamic acid (Glu). The prepared CS-Lys/GP and CS-Glu/GP hydrogel showed good thermosensitivity and could form gels in a short time. The optimal parameters of CS-Lys/GP hydrogel were that the concentration of CS-Lys was 2.5%, the ratio of CS/Lys was 3.5/1.0, the ratio of CS-Lys/GP was 4.5/1.0. The optimal parameters of CS-Glu/GP hydrogel were that the concentration of CS-Glu was 3.0%, the ratio of CS/Glu was 2.0/1.0, and the ratio of CS-Glu/GP was 4.0/1.5. Chitosan-amino acid (CS-AA) thermosensitive hydrogel had a three-dimensional network structure. The addition of model drug tinidazole (TNZ) had no obvious effect on the structure of hydrogel. The results of infrared spectroscopy showed that there were hydrogen bonds between amino acids and chitosan. In vitro release results showed that CS-Lys/GP and CS-Glu/GP thermosensitive hydrogels had sustained release effects. Thus, the chitosan-amino acid thermosensitive hydrogels hold great potential as a sustained release drug delivery system.

High-Throughput Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulations towards the Identification of Potential Inhibitors against Human Coagulation Factor XIIa

Human coagulation factor XIIa (FXIIa) is a trypsin-like serine protease that is involved in pathologic thrombosis. As a potential target for designing safe anticoagulants, FXIIa has received a great deal of interest in recent years. In the present study, we employed virtual high-throughput screening of 500,064 compounds within Enamine database to acquire the most potential inhibitors of FXIIa. Subsequently, 18 compounds with significant binding energy (from -65.195 to -15.726 kcal/mol) were selected, and their ADMET properties were predicted to select representative inhibitors. Three compounds (Z1225120358, Z432246974, and Z146790068) exhibited excellent binding affinity and druggability. MD simulation for FXIIa-ligand complexes was carried out to reveal the stability and inhibition mechanism of these three compounds. Through the inhibition of activated factor XIIa assay, we tested the activity of five compounds Z1225120358, Z432246974, Z45287215, Z30974175, and Z146790068, with pIC50 values of 9.3∗10⁻⁷, 3.0∗10⁻⁵, 7.8∗10⁻⁷, 8.7∗10⁻⁷, and 1.3∗10⁻⁶ M, respectively; the AMDET properties of Z45287215 and Z30974175 show not well but have better inhibition activity. We also found that compounds Z1225120358, Z45287215, Z30974175, and Z146790068 could be more inhibition of FXIIa than Z432246974. Collectively, compounds Z1225120358, Z45287215, Z30974175, and Z146790068 were anticipated to be promising drug candidates for inhibition of FXIIa.

Transforming Growth Factor-β3/Recombinant Human-like Collagen/Chitosan Freeze-Dried Sponge Primed With Human Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells Promotes Bone Regeneration in Calvarial Defect Rats

Patients with a skull defect are at risk of developing cerebrospinal fluid leakage and ascending bacterial meningitis at >10% per year. However, treatment with stem cells has brought great hope to large-area cranial defects. Having found that transforming growth factor (TGF)-β3 can promote the osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs), we designed a hybrid TGF-β3/recombinant human-like collagen recombinant human collagen/chitosan (CS) freeze-dried sponge (TRFS) loading hPDLSCs (TRFS-h) to repair skull defects in rats. CFS with 2% CS was selected based on the swelling degree, water absorption, and moisture retention. The CS freeze-dried sponge (CFS) formed a porous three-dimensional structure, as observed by scanning electron microscopy. In addition, cytotoxicity experiments and calcein-AM/PI staining showed that TRFS had a good cellular compatibility and could be degraded completely at 90 days in the implantation site. Furthermore, bone healing was evaluated using micro-computed tomography in rat skull defect models. The bone volume and bone volume fraction were higher in TRFS loaded with hPDLSCs (TRFS-h) group than in the controls (p < 0.01, vs. CFS or TRFS alone). The immunohistochemical results indicated that the expression of Runx2, BMP-2, and collagen-1 (COL Ⅰ) in cells surrounding bone defects in the experimental group was higher than those in the other groups (p < 0.01, vs. CFS or TRFS alone). Taken together, hPDLSCs could proliferate and undergo osteogenic differentiation in TRFS (p < 0.05), and TRFS-h accelerated bone repair in calvarial defect rats. Our research revealed that hPDLSCs could function as seeded cells for skull injury, and their osteogenic differentiation could be accelerated by TGF-β3. This represents an effective therapeutic strategy for restoring traumatic defects of the skull.

Nanomaterials for Periodontal Tissue Engineering: Chitosan-Based Scaffolds. A Systematic Review

Introduction. Several biomaterials are used in periodontal tissue engineering in order to obtain a three-dimensional scaffold, which could enhance the oral bone regeneration. These novel biomaterials, when placed in the affected area, activate a cascade of events, inducing regenerative cellular responses, and replacing the missing tissue. Natural and synthetic polymers can be used alone or in combination with other biomaterials, growth factors, and stem cells. Natural-based polymer chitosan is widely used in periodontal tissue engineering. It presents biodegradability, biocompatibility, and biological renewability properties. It is bacteriostatic and nontoxic and has hemostatic and mucoadhesive capacity. The aim of this systematic review is to obtain an updated overview of the utilization and effectiveness of chitosan-based scaffold (CS-bs) in the alveolar bone regeneration process. Materials and Methods. During database searching (using PubMed, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL), 72 items were found. The title, abstract, and full text of each study were carefully analyzed and only 22 articles were selected. Thirteen articles were excluded based on their title, five after reading the abstract, twenty-six after reading the full text, and six were not considered because of their publication date (prior to 2010). Quality assessment and data extraction were performed in the twelve included randomized controlled trials. Data concerning cell proliferation and viability (CPV), mineralization level (M), and alkaline phosphatase activity (ALPA) were recorded from each article Results. All the included trials tested CS-bs that were combined with other biomaterials (such as hydroxyapatite, alginate, polylactic-co-glycolic acid, polycaprolactone), growth factors (basic fibroblast growth factor, bone morphogenetic protein) and/or stem cells (periodontal ligament stem cells, human jaw bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells). Values about the proliferation of cementoblasts (CB) and periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs), the activity of alkaline phosphatase, and the mineralization level determined by pure chitosan scaffolds resulted in lower than those caused by chitosan-based scaffolds combined with other molecules and biomaterials. Conclusions. A higher periodontal regenerative potential was recorded in the case of CS-based scaffolds combined with other polymeric biomaterials and bioceramics (bio compared to those provided by CS alone. Furthermore, literature demonstrated that the addition of growth factors and stem cells to CS-based scaffolds might improve the biological properties of chitosan.

Recent advances in periodontal regeneration: A biomaterial perspective

Periodontal disease (PD) is one of the most common inflammatory oral diseases, affecting approximately 47% of adults aged 30 years or older in the United States. If not treated properly, PD leads to degradation of periodontal tissues, causing tooth movement, and eventually tooth loss. Conventional clinical therapy for PD aims at eliminating infectious sources, and reducing inflammation to arrest disease progression, which cannot achieve the regeneration of lost periodontal tissues. Over the past two decades, various regenerative periodontal therapies, such as guided tissue regeneration (GTR), enamel matrix derivative, bone grafts, growth factor delivery, and the combination of cells and growth factors with matrix-based scaffolds have been developed to target the restoration of lost tooth-supporting tissues, including periodontal ligament, alveolar bone, and cementum. This review discusses recent progresses of periodontal regeneration using tissue-engineering and regenerative medicine approaches. Specifically, we focus on the advances of biomaterials and controlled drug delivery for periodontal regeneration in recent years. Special attention is given to the development of advanced bio-inspired scaffolding biomaterials and temporospatial control of multi-drug delivery for the regeneration of cementum-periodontal ligament-alveolar bone complex. Challenges and future perspectives are presented to provide inspiration for the design and development of innovative biomaterials and delivery system for new regenerative periodontal therapy.

Multifunctional Triple-Layered Composite Scaffolds Combining Platelet-Rich Fibrin Promote Bone Regeneration

There has been substantial progress made in the development of bone regeneration materials, driven by the deficiencies that exist in current clinical products, such as finite sources, donor site complications, and potential for disease transmission. To overcome these shortcomings, multifunctional scaffolds should be developed to integrate the relationship among osteoinduction, osteoconduction, and osseointegration. In this study, we fabricated polycaprolactone/gelatin (PG) nanofiber films by electrospinning, to act as barriers against connective tissue migration into bone defect sites; chitosan/poly (γ-glutamic acid)/hydroxyapatite (CPH) hydrogels were formed by electrostatic interaction and lyophilization, to exert osteoconduction; and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) was extracted from rat abdominal aorta and combined with composite scaffolds, to promote bone induction through the release of growth factors. Hydrogels were immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 1 month to investigate mineralization in vitro. Cytocompatibility, cell barrier effect, and osteogenic differentiation were also explored in vitro. The ability to effectively regenerate bone was analyzed by implantation of triple-layered composite scaffolds into rat calvarial defects in vivo. Size-matched hydrogel filled the defect site, and then, fresh PRF was applied to the hydrogel surface. Finally, P2G3 nanofiber films were applied and attached to the surrounding soft tissue. In short, we fabricated multifunctional triple-layered scaffolds by combining the advantages of osteoinduction, osteoconduction, and osseointegration, which could give full play to the role of PRF in bone regeneration and provide new and pragmatic concepts for bone tissue regeneration in clinical applications.

In vitro proliferation and differentiation of canine bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells over hydroxyl functionalized CNT substrates

Nanotopography of culture substrate acts as a positive cue in cell-biomaterial based tissue regeneration. Considering the potentiality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) this study was designed to evaluate its two functionalized form by an in vitro culture condition using canine mesenchymal stem cells as cellular model. Cells were isolated and its behaviour, proliferation and differentiation processes were elucidated onto CNT substrates. Beside the variations in cellular behaviour it was remarkably noted that even though proliferation was reduced but osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation was enhanced over multi-walled CNTs, whereas neuronal differentiation was better supported by single walled CNTs as evidenced by our cytochemical, immunocytochemical, gene expression and flow cytometry assays. The former one was noticed more cytocompatible by our different apoptosis studies. The outcome of these experiments collectively indicated that hydroxylated functionalized CNTs could be a potential scaffold constituent for future experimentations as well as for the application in regenerative medicine.

Transforming Growth Factor-β3/Chitosan Sponge (TGF-β3/CS) Facilitates Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells

Periodontal disease is the main reason for tooth loss in adults. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are advanced technologies used to manage soft and hard tissue defects caused by periodontal disease. We developed a transforming growth factor-β3/chitosan sponge (TGF-β3/CS) to repair periodontal soft and hard tissue defects. We investigated the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation behaviors of primary human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) to determine the bioactivity and potential application of TGF-β3 in periodontal disease. We employed calcein-AM/propidium iodide (PI) double labeling or cell membranes (CM)-Dil labeling coupled with fluorescence microscopy to trace the survival and function of cells after implantation in vitro and in vivo. The mineralization of osteogenically differentiated hPDLSCs was confirmed by measuring alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and calcium content. The levels of COL I, ALP, TGF-βRI, TGF-βRII, and Pp38/t-p38 were assessed by western blotting to explore the mechanism of bone repair prompted by TGF-β3. When hPDLSCs were implanted with various concentrations of TGF-β3/CS (62.5-500 ng/mL), ALP activity was the highest in the TGF-β3 (250 ng/mL) group after 7 d (p < 0.05 vs. control). The calcium content in each group was increased significantly after 21 and 28 d (p < 0.001 vs. control). The optimal result was achieved by the TGF-β3 (500 ng/mL) group. These results showed that TGF-β3/CS promotes osteogenic differentiation of hPDLSCs, which may involve the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. TGF-β3/CS has the potential for application in the repair of incomplete alveolar bone defects.

Autoclavable physically-crosslinked chitosan cryogel as a wound dressing

Moist wounds were known to heal more rapidly than dry wounds. Hydrogel wound dressings were suitable for the moist wound healing because of their hyperhydrous structure. Chitosan was a strong candidate as a base material for hydrogel wound dressings because the polymer had excellent biological properties that promoted wound healing. We previously developed physically-crosslinked chitosan cryogels, which were prepared solely by freeze-thawing of a chitosan-gluconic acid conjugate (CG) aqueous solution, for wound treatment. The CG cryogels were disinfected by immersing in 70% ethanol before applying to wounds in our previous study. In the present study, we examined the influence of autoclave sterilization (121°C, 20 min) on the characteristics of CG cryogel because complete sterilization was one of the fundamental requirements for medical devices. We found that optimum value of gluconic acid content of CG, defined as the number of the incorporated gluconic acid units per 100 glucosamine units of chitosan, was 11 for autoclaving. An increased crosslinking level of CG cryogel on autoclaving enhanced resistance of the gels to enzymatic degradation. Furthermore, the autoclaved CG cryogels retained favorable biological properties of the pre-autoclaved CG cryogels in that they showed the same hemostatic activity and efficacy in repairing full-thickness skin wounds as the pre-autoclaved CG cryogels. These results showed the great potential of autoclavable CG cryogels as a practical wound dressing.

Engineered scaffolds and cell-based therapy for periodontal regeneration

BACKGROUND

The main objective of regenerative periodontal therapy is to completely restore the periodontal tissues lost. This review summarizes the most recent evidence in support of scaffold- and cell-based tissue engineering, which are expected to play a relevant role in next-generation periodontal regenerative therapy.

METHODS

A literature search (PubMed database) was performed to analyze more recently updated articles regarding periodontal regeneration, scaffolds and cell-based technologies.

RESULTS

Evidence supports the importance of scaffold physical cues to promote periodontal regeneration, including scaffold multicompartmentalization and micropatterning. The in situ delivery of biological mediators and/or cell populations, both stem cells and already differentiated cells, has shown promising in vivo efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Porous scaffolds are pivotal for clot stabilization, wound compartmentalization, cell homing and cell nutrients delivery. Given the revolutionary introduction of rapid prototyping technique and cell-based therapies, the fabrication of custom-made scaffolds is not far from being achieved.

In situ controlled release of stromal cell-derived factor-1α and antimiR-138 for on-demand cranial bone regeneration

Bone regeneration involves complex physiological processes, which is generally regulated and controlled by multiple bioactive molecules. In situ controlled release of combined bioactive factors in a spatiotemporal sequence for adapting the demand of bone regeneration is a desired strategy. In this study, nanoparticle/hydrogel composite system was constructed by incorporating stromal cell derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) and chitosan/tripolyphosphate/hyaluronic acid/antimiRNA-138 nanoparticles (CTH/antimiR-138 NPs) in chitosan/β-sodium glycerol phosphate (CS/GP) hydrogel for rat critical-size calvarial bone regeneration. The fast release of SDF-1α promoted the migration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for 6 d, while the sustained release of antimiR-138 from the nanoparticle/hydrogel compound enhanced the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs over 21 d. 8 weeks after surgery, calvarial specimens were evaluated by microcomputed tomography (μ-CT), histological analysis and immunohistochemistry. Comparing with blank group and hydrogel group, hydrogels incorporated with SDF-1α and/or CTH/antimiR-138 NPs significantly enhanced bone regeneration (p<0.05). In addition, the expression of collagen type-1 (COL-1), osteopontin (OPN) and osteocalcin (OCN) proteins were enhanced in the combined drug group (incorporated both SDF-1α and CTH/antimiR-138 NPs) in comparison to the hydrogel group. Our research indicated the in situ formation of NPs/hydrogel composite could provide temporal sequence-release of SDF-1α and CTH/antimiR-138 NPs for on-demand MSCs homing and cranial bone regeneration.

Functionalized carbon nanotubes as suitable scaffold materials for proliferation and differentiation of canine mesenchymal stem cells

In the field of regenerative medicine, numerous potential applications of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be envisaged, due to their ability to differentiate into a range of tissues on the basis of the substrate on which they grow. With the advances in nanotechnology, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely explored for use as cell culture substrate in tissue engineering applications. In this study, canine bone marrow-derived MSCs were considered as the cellular model for an in vitro study to elucidate the collective cellular processes, using three different varieties of thin films of functionalized carbon nanotubes (COOH-single-walled CNTs [SWCNTs], COOH-multiwalled CNTs [MWCNTs] and polyethylene glycol [PEG]-SWCNTs), which were spray dried onto preheated cover slips. Cells spread out better on the CNT films, resulting in higher cell surface area and occurrence of filopodia, with parallel orientation of stress fiber bundles. Canine MSCs proliferated at a slower rate on all types of CNT substrates compared to the control, but no decline in cell number was noticed during the study period. Expression of apoptosis-associated genes decreased on the CNT substrates as time progressed. On flow cytometry after AnnexinV-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide (PI) staining, total number of apoptotic and necrotic cells remained lower in COOH-functionalized films compared to PEG-functionalized ones. Collectively, these results indicate that COOH-MWCNT substrate provided an environment of low cytotoxicity. Canine MSCs were further induced to differentiate along osteogenic, chondrogenic, and neuronal lineages by culturing under specific differentiation conditions. The cytochemical and immunocytochemical staining results, as well as the expression of the bone marker genes, led us to hypothesize that the COOH-MWCNT substrate acted as a better cue, accelerating the osteogenic differentiation process. However, while chondrogenesis was promoted by COOH-SWCNT, neuronal differentiation was promoted by both COOH-SWNCT and COOH-MWCNT. Taken together, these findings suggest that COOH-functionalized CNTs represent a promising scaffold component for future utilization in the selective differentiation of canine MSCs in regenerative medicine.

Versatility of Chitosan-Based Biomaterials and Their Use as Scaffolds for Tissue Regeneration

Chitosan is a naturally occurring polysaccharide obtained from chitin, present in abundance in the exoskeletons of crustaceans and insects. It has aroused great interest as a biomaterial for tissue engineering on account of its biocompatibility and biodegradation and its affinity for biomolecules. A significant number of research groups have investigated the application of chitosan as scaffolds for tissue regeneration. However, there is a wide variability in terms of physicochemical characteristics of chitosan used in some studies and its combinations with other biomaterials, making it difficult to compare results and standardize its properties. The current systematic review of literature on the use of chitosan for tissue regeneration consisted of a study of 478 articles in the PubMed database, which resulted, after applying inclusion criteria, in the selection of 61 catalogued, critically analysed works. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of chitosan-based biomaterials in 93.4% of the studies reviewed, whether or not combined with cells and growth factors, in the regeneration of various types of tissues in animals. However, the absence of clinical studies in humans, the inadequate experimental designs, and the lack of information concerning chitosan's characteristics limit the reproducibility and relevance of studies and the clinical applicability of chitosan.

Fabrication and characterization of hydrothermal cross-linked chitosan porous scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering applications

The use of various chemical cross-linking agents for the improvement of scaffolds physical and mechanical properties is a common practical method, which is limited by cytotoxicity effects. Due to exerting contract type forces, chondrocytes are known to implement shrinkage on the tissue engineered constructs, which can be avoided by the scaffold cross-linking. In the this research, chitosan scaffolds are cross-linked with hydrothermal treatment with autoclave sterilization time of 0, 10, 20 and 30min, to avoid the application of the traditional chemical toxic materials. The optimization studies with gel content and crosslink density measurements indicate that for 20min sterilization time, the gel content approaches to ~80%. The scaffolds are fully characterized by the conventional techniques such as SEM, porosity and permeability, XRD, compression, thermal analysis and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). FT-IR studies shows that autoclave inter-chain cross-linking reduces the amine group absorption at 1560cm^-1 and increase the absorption of N-acetylated groups at 1629cm^-1. It is anticipated, that this observation evidenced by chitosan scaffold browning upon autoclave cross-linking is an indication of the familiar maillard reaction between amine moieties and carbonyl groups. The biodegradation rate analysis shows that chitosan scaffolds with lower concentrations, possess suitable degradation rate for cartilage tissue engineering applications. In addition, cytotoxicity analysis shows that fabricated scaffolds are biocompatible. The human articular chondrocytes seeding into 3D cross-linked scaffolds shows a higher viability and proliferation in comparison with the uncross-linked samples and 2D controls. Investigation of cell morphology on the scaffolds by SEM, shows a more spherical morphology of chondrocytes on the cross-linked scaffolds for 21days of in vitro culture.

Injectable nanoparticles/hydrogels composite as sustained release system with stromal cell-derived factor-1α for calvarial bone regeneration

Repair of craniofacial bony defects remains a challenge for surgeons due to the delicate and complex anatomy of the craniofacial skeleton. Stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) is an important chemokine which plays a critical role in the homing of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), while, the shortcomings including short half-life and easy degradation by enzymes made it in relatively low efficacy. In this work, SDF-1α/chitosan/carboxymeymethy-chitosan nanoparticles (SDF-1α/CS/CMCS NPs) were prepared and characterized for various parameters including morphology, particle size, zeta potential, loading efficiency and the release characteristics from thermosensitive chitosan/β-glycerol phosphate disodium salt (CS/GP) hydrogels. The SDF-1α encapsulated in CS/CMCS NPs within CS/GP hydrogels showed significantly sustained release effect. The cumulative release of SDF-1α was only 40% during 28d. The data from rat calvarial defects model revealed that the SDF-1α/CS/CMCS NPs embedded hydrogels group could significantly promote the new bone formation (38.5±4.5%), compared to that of the SDF-1α embedded hydrogels group (26.3±7.25%, p<0.05) and the control group (8.64±4.8%, p<0.01). Histological data also confirmed this difference. This study demonstrated the potential applications of nanoparticulate injectable hydrogels for sustained release SDF-1α on bone tissue regeneration.

Periodontal Wound Healing by Transplantation of Jaw Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Chitosan/Anorganic Bovine Bone Carrier Into One-Wall Infrabony Defects in Beagles

BACKGROUND

This study aims to evaluate the performance of chitosan/anorganic bovine bone (C/ABB) scaffold seeded with human jaw bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hJBMMSCs) in supporting the healing/repair of 1-wall critical-size periodontal defects.

METHODS

Physical properties of the C/ABB scaffold were compared with those of the chitosan scaffold. hJBMMSCs were obtained from healthy human alveolar bone during the extraction of third molar impacted teeth. One-wall (7 × 4 mm) infrabony defects were surgically created at the bilateral mandibular third premolars and first molars in six beagles. The defects were randomly assigned to six groups and implanted with different scaffolds: 1) chitosan (C) scaffold; 2) C scaffold with hJBMMSCs (C + cell); 3) C/ABB scaffold (C/ABB); 4) C/ABB scaffold with hJBMMSCs (C/ABB + cell); 5) ABB scaffold (ABB); and 6) open flap debridement (control). The animals were euthanized 8 weeks after surgery for histologic analysis.

RESULTS

The C/ABB scaffold had a porous structure and increased compressive strength. Both C/ABB and C/ABB + cell exhibited the newly formed cellular mixed-fiber cementum, woven/lamellar bone, and periodontal ligament. Cementum formation was significantly greater in group C/ABB + cell than in group C/ABB (2.64 ± 0.50 mm versus 0.91 ± 0.55 mm, P <0.05). For new bone (NB) height, group C/ABB + cell and C/ABB showed mean ± SD values of 2.83 ± 0.29 mm and 2.65 ± 0.52 mm and for NB area 8.89 ± 1.65 mm and 8.73 ± 1.94 mm(2), respectively. For NB (height and area), there was no significant difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of hJBMMSCs and C/ABB scaffolds could promote periodontal repair. Future studies are expected to further optimize the combination and lead to an ideal periodontal regeneration.

Advances in collagen, chitosan and silica biomaterials for oral tissue regeneration: from basics to clinical trials

Different materials have distinct surface and bulk characteristics; each of them potentially useful for the treatment of a particular wound or disease.

Role of Counterions in Controlling the Properties of Ultrasonically Generated Chitosan-Stabilized Oil-in-Water Emulsions

An oil-in-water emulsion was ultrasonically prepared in aqueous chitosan solutions containing different counterions. Tetradecane was used as the oil phase in order to mimic nonpolar substances used in food processes. Various acids were used to dissolve chitosan, and we found that conjugate bases of the acids used, which act as counterions to neutralize the positive charges of ammonium ions present in the chitosan backbone, played a significant role in controlling the size, size distribution, and stability of chitosan-encapsulated tedradecane emulsion droplets (microspheres). The counterion effect is also found to be strongly dependent upon tetradecane (TD)/chitosan (CS) ratio and ultrasonic power. Key observations are: (i) for a given TD/CS ratio, the size and size distribution decrease when the acid is varied from nitric acid to benzenesulfonic acid at high TD/CS ratio, and the effect becomes less significant at low TD/CS ratio; (ii) for a given acid, the size and size distribution increase with an increase in TD/CS ratio; and (iii) at low TD/CS ratio the size and size distribution are significantly influenced by the viscosity of the system. A possible mechanism for the observed counterion effect is proposed. The role of counterions, solution viscosity, and ultrasonic power in controlling the physical and functional properties of ultrasonically generated chitosan-stabilized tetradecane microspheres is discussed in detail. The key new finding of this study is that it is possible to form stable emulsions without the addition of external emulsifiers and stabilizers, but only using chitosan with different acids to dissolve chitosan. This strategy could be used in the generation of stable food emulsions.

Development of thermosensitive chitosan/glicerophospate injectable in situ gelling solutions for potential application in intraoperative fluorescence imaging and local therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma: a preliminary study

OBJECTIVES

Thermosensitive chitosan/glycerophosphate (C/GP) solutions exhibiting sol-gel transition around body temperature were prepared to develop a class of injectable hydrogel platforms for the imaging and loco-regional treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Indocyanine green (ICG) was loaded in the thermosensitive solutions in order to assess their potential for the detection of tumor nodules by fluorescence.

METHODS

The gel formation of these formulations as well as their gelling time, injectability, compactness and resistance of gel structure, gelling temperature, storage conditions, biodegradability, and in vitro dye release behavior were investigated. Ex vivo studies were carried out for preliminary evaluation using an isolated bovine liver.

RESULTS

Gel strengths and gelation rates increased with the cross-link density between C and GP. These behaviors are more evident for C/GP solutions, which displayed a gel-like precipitation at 4°C. Furthermore, formulations with the lowest cross-link density between C and GP exhibited the best injectability due to a lower resistance to flow. The loading of the dye did not influence the gelation rate. ICG was not released from the hydrogels because of a strong electrostatic interaction between C and ICG. Ex vivo preliminary studies revealed that these injectable formulations remain in correspondence of the injected site.

CONCLUSIONS

The developed ICG-loaded hydrogels have the potential for intraoperative fluorescence imaging and local therapy of HCC as embolic agents. They form in situ compact gels and have a good potential for filling vessels and/or body cavities.