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Farr NTH, Workman VL, Chapple CR, MacNeil S, Rodenburg C. Strengthening preclinical testing to increase safety in surgical mesh. Nat Rev Urol 2024:10.1038/s41585-024-00889-5. [PMID: 38693244 DOI: 10.1038/s41585-024-00889-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas T H Farr
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
- Insigneo Institute for in silico Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust and Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK.
| | - Victoria L Workman
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Insigneo Institute for in silico Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust and Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Sheila MacNeil
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Cornelia Rodenburg
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Insigneo Institute for in silico Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust and Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
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Farr NTH, Workman VL, Saad S, Roman S, Hearnden V, Chapple CR, Murdoch C, Rodenburg C, MacNeil S. Uncovering the relationship between macrophages and polypropylene surgical mesh. Biomater Adv 2024; 159:213800. [PMID: 38377947 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2024.213800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Currently, in vitro testing examines the cytotoxicity of biomaterials but fails to consider how materials respond to mechanical forces and the immune response to them; both are crucial for successful long-term implantation. A notable example of this failure is polypropylene mid-urethral mesh used in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The mesh was largely successful in abdominal hernia repair but produced significant complications when repurposed to treat SUI. Developing more physiologically relevant in vitro test models would allow more physiologically relevant data to be collected about how biomaterials will interact with the body. This study investigates the effects of mechanochemical distress (a combination of oxidation and mechanical distention) on polypropylene mesh surfaces and the effect this has on macrophage gene expression. Surface topology of the mesh was characterised using SEM and AFM; ATR-FTIR, EDX and Raman spectroscopy was applied to detect surface oxidation and structural molecular alterations. Uniaxial mechanical testing was performed to reveal any bulk mechanical changes. RT-qPCR of selected pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory genes was carried out on macrophages cultured on control and mechanochemically distressed PP mesh. Following exposure to mechanochemical distress the mesh surface was observed to crack and craze and helical defects were detected in the polymer backbone. Surface oxidation of the mesh was seen after macrophage attachment for 7 days. These changes in mesh surface triggered modified gene expression in macrophages. Pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory genes were upregulated after macrophages were cultured on mechanochemically distressed mesh, whereas the same genes were down-regulated in macrophages exposed to control mesh. This study highlights the relationship between macrophages and polypropylene surgical mesh, thus offering more insight into the fate of an implanted material than existing in vitro testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas T H Farr
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, UK; Insigneo Institute for in silico Medicine, The Pam Liversidge Building, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, UK.
| | - Victoria L Workman
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, UK; Insigneo Institute for in silico Medicine, The Pam Liversidge Building, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, UK
| | - Sanad Saad
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, UK; Department of Urology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Sabiniano Roman
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, UK
| | - Vanessa Hearnden
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, UK; Insigneo Institute for in silico Medicine, The Pam Liversidge Building, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Craig Murdoch
- School of Clinical Dentistry, 19 Claremont Crescent, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Cornelia Rodenburg
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, UK; Insigneo Institute for in silico Medicine, The Pam Liversidge Building, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, UK
| | - Sheila MacNeil
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, UK
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Farr NTH, Pasniewski M, de Marco A. Assessing the Quality of Oxygen Plasma Focused Ion Beam (O-PFIB) Etching on Polypropylene Surfaces Using Secondary Electron Hyperspectral Imaging. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:3247. [PMID: 37571142 PMCID: PMC10422415 DOI: 10.3390/polym15153247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM) systems has provided significant advances in the processing and characterization of polymers. A fundamental understanding of ion-sample interactions is still missing despite FIB-SEM being routinely applied in microstructural analyses of polymers. This study applies Secondary Electron Hyperspectral Imaging to reveal oxygen and xenon plasma FIB interactions on the surface of a polymer (in this instance, polypropylene). Secondary Electron Hyperspectral Imaging (SEHI) is a technique housed within the SEM chamber that exhibits multiscale surface sensitivity with a high spatial resolution and the ability to identify carbon bonding present using low beam energies without requiring an Ultra High Vacuum (UHV). SEHI is made possible through the use of through-the-lens detectors (TLDs) to provide a low-pass SE collection of low primary electron beam energies and currents. SE images acquired over the same region of interest from different energy ranges are plotted to produce an SE spectrum. The data provided in this study provide evidence of SEHI's ability to be a valuable tool in the characterization of polymer surfaces post-PFIB etching, allowing for insights into both tailoring polymer processing FIB parameters and SEHI's ability to be used to monitor serial FIB polymer surfaces in situ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas T. H. Farr
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
- Insigneo Institute for In Silico Medicine, The Pam Liversidge Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Maciej Pasniewski
- ExxonMobil Chemical Europe Inc., European Technology Center, 1831 Machelen, Belgium
- Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT), University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Alex de Marco
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3199, Australia
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
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Farr NTH, Klosterhalfen B, Noé GK. Characterization in respect to degradation of titanium-coated polypropylene surgical mesh explanted from humans. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 2023; 111:1142-1152. [PMID: 36610021 PMCID: PMC10952695 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.b.35221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Titanium-coated polypropylene (Ti-PP) mesh was introduced in 2002 as a surgical mesh for the treatment of hernias and shortly after for pelvic floor surgery, with the aim of improving biocompatibility when compared to non-titanised/regular PP mesh implants. The application of a titanium coating could also be beneficial to address concerns regarding the exposure of PP in an in vivo environment. Many studies have shown that PP, although it is widely accepted as a stable polymer, is subject to oxidation and degradation, such degradation affects the mechanical behavior, that is, the stiffness and tensile strength of PP mesh. Despite the wide clinical use of Ti-PP surgical meshes, no study has yet investigated the residual material properties post clinical deployment and subsequent explantation. In this study, two explanted Ti-PP mesh samples each having different incorporation durations from two patients were examined. Material analysis conducted within this study includes the following techniques: attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, low voltage - scanning electron microscopy (LV-SEM), backscattered electron (BSE) imaging, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and secondary election hyperspectral imaging (SEHI). The hypothesis of this study is that the Ti coating successfully shields the PP mesh from oxidative stress in vivo and thus protects it from degradation. The results of this analysis show for the first time evidence of bulk oxidation, surface degradation, and environmental stress cracking on explanted Ti-PP meshes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas T. H. Farr
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
- Insigneo Institute for in silico MedicineSheffieldUK
| | | | - Günter K. Noé
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Rheinlandclinics DormagenUniversity of Witten HerdeckeDormagenGermany
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Jackson CE, Ramos-Rodriguez DH, Farr NTH, English WR, Green NH, Claeyssens F. Development of PCL PolyHIPE Substrates for 3D Breast Cancer Cell Culture. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:bioengineering10050522. [PMID: 37237592 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10050522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a becoming a huge social and economic burden on society, becoming one of the most significant barriers to life expectancy in the 21st century. In particular, breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death for women. One of the most significant difficulties to finding efficient therapies for specific cancers, such as breast cancer, is the efficiency and ease of drug development and testing. Tissue-engineered (TE) in vitro models are rapidly developing as an alternative to animal testing for pharmaceuticals. Additionally, porosity included within these structures overcomes the diffusional mass transfer limit whilst enabling cell infiltration and integration with surrounding tissue. Within this study, we investigated the use of high-molecular-weight polycaprolactone methacrylate (PCL-M) polymerised high-internal-phase emulsions (polyHIPEs) as a scaffold to support 3D breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cell culture. We assessed the porosity, interconnectivity, and morphology of the polyHIPEs when varying mixing speed during formation of the emulsion, successfully demonstrating the tunability of these polyHIPEs. An ex ovo chick chorioallantoic membrane assay identified the scaffolds as bioinert, with biocompatible properties within a vascularised tissue. Furthermore, in vitro assessment of cell attachment and proliferation showed promising potential for the use of PCL polyHIPEs to support cell growth. Our results demonstrate that PCL polyHIPEs are a promising material to support cancer cell growth with tuneable porosity and interconnectivity for the fabrication of perfusable 3D cancer models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E Jackson
- Materials Science and Engineering, The Kroto Research Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7HQ, UK
- Insigneo Institute for In Silico Medicine, The Pam Liversidge Building, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
| | | | - Nicholas T H Farr
- Materials Science and Engineering, The Kroto Research Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7HQ, UK
- Insigneo Institute for In Silico Medicine, The Pam Liversidge Building, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
| | - William R English
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR3 7TJ, UK
| | - Nicola H Green
- Materials Science and Engineering, The Kroto Research Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7HQ, UK
- Insigneo Institute for In Silico Medicine, The Pam Liversidge Building, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
| | - Frederik Claeyssens
- Materials Science and Engineering, The Kroto Research Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7HQ, UK
- Insigneo Institute for In Silico Medicine, The Pam Liversidge Building, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
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Farr NTH, Roman S, Schäfer J, Quade A, Lester D, Hearnden V, MacNeil S, Rodenburg C. A novel characterisation approach to reveal the mechano-chemical effects of oxidation and dynamic distension on polypropylene surgical mesh. RSC Adv 2021; 11:34710-34723. [PMID: 35494782 PMCID: PMC9042683 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra05944k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Polypropylene (PP) surgical mesh, used successfully for the surgical repair of abdominal hernias, is associated with serious clinical complications when used in the pelvic floor for repair of stress urinary incontinence or support of pelvic organ prolapse. While manufacturers claim that the material is inert and non-degradable, there is a growing body of evidence that asserts PP fibres are subject to oxidative damage and indeed explanted material from patients suffering with clinical complications has shown some evidence of fibre cracking and oxidation. It has been proposed that a pathological cellular response to the surgical mesh contributes to the medical complications; however, the mechanisms that trigger the specific host response against the material are not well understood. Specifically, this study was constructed to investigate the mechano-chemical effects of oxidation and dynamic distension on polypropylene surgical mesh. To do this we used a novel advanced spectroscopical characterisation technique, secondary electron hyperspectral imaging (SEHI), which is based on the collection of secondary electron emission spectra in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to reveal mechanical-chemical reactions within PP meshes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas T H Farr
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street UK .,Insigneo Institute for in silico Medicine The Pam Liversidge Building, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street Sheffield UK
| | - Sabiniano Roman
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street UK
| | - Jan Schäfer
- Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP e.V.) Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 2 17489 Greifswald Germany
| | - Antje Quade
- Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP e.V.) Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 2 17489 Greifswald Germany
| | - Daniel Lester
- Polymer Characterisation Research Technology Platform, University of Warwick Library Road CV4 7AL Coventry UK
| | - Vanessa Hearnden
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street UK
| | - Sheila MacNeil
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street UK
| | - Cornelia Rodenburg
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street UK
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Farr NTH, Hamad SF, Gray E, Magazzeni CM, Longman F, Armstrong DEJ, Foreman JP, Claeyssens F, Green NH, Rodenburg C. Identifying and mapping chemical bonding within phenolic resin using secondary electron hyperspectral imaging. Polym Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1039/d0py01220c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
“Secondary electron hyperspectral imaging (SEHI) is an innovative SEM-based analysis tool allowing spatially-resolved chemical analysis beyond elemental composition”.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas T. H. Farr
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Sir Robert Hadfield Building
- Mappin Street
- University of Sheffield
- UK
| | - Sameer F. Hamad
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Sir Robert Hadfield Building
- Mappin Street
- University of Sheffield
- UK
| | - Euan Gray
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Sir Robert Hadfield Building
- Mappin Street
- University of Sheffield
- UK
| | | | - Fodio Longman
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Sir Robert Hadfield Building
- Mappin Street
- University of Sheffield
- UK
| | | | - Joel P. Foreman
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Sir Robert Hadfield Building
- Mappin Street
- University of Sheffield
- UK
| | - Frederik Claeyssens
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Sir Robert Hadfield Building
- Mappin Street
- University of Sheffield
- UK
| | - Nicola H. Green
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Sir Robert Hadfield Building
- Mappin Street
- University of Sheffield
- UK
| | - Cornelia Rodenburg
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Sir Robert Hadfield Building
- Mappin Street
- University of Sheffield
- UK
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