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Published on: August 16, 2014
Surface modified electrospun poly(lactic acid) fibrous scaffold with cellulose nanofibrils and Ag nanoparticles for
1Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China.
Abstract:
Corneal and conjunctival infections are common ocular diseases, sometimes, causing severe and refractory drug-resistant bacteria infections. Fungal keratitis is a leading cause for blindness and traditional medical treatment is unsatisfactory. Thus, there is an urge to develop a new therapy to deal with these cases. In this study, we developed surface modified poly(lactic acid) (PLA) electrospun nanofibrous membranes (EFMs) with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) as scaffolds for cell proliferation and antimicrobial application. The AgNPs with a very low content (below 0.1%) were easily anchored on the surface of PLA EFMs by CNF, which endowed the scaffold with hydrophilicity and antibacterial ability. The in-vitro cell co-culture experiments showed that the scaffold had great biocompatibility to ocular epithelial cells, especially the scaffolds coated by CNF, which significantly proliferated cells. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity could reach >95% inhibiting Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) due to the implantation of AgNPs, and the antifungal activity was also outstanding with most of the Fusarium spp. inhibited. Hence, the developed PLA EFMs with CNF and AgNPs are promising ocular bandages to promote cell proliferation and kill infectious pathogens, exhibiting potential applications in ocular wound healing in the future.
Insights
New ocular bandages made from poly(lactic acid) nanofibers with silver nanoparticles and cellulose nanofibrils show excellent biocompatibility and kill over 95% of bacteria and fungi, aiding ocular wound healing.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Ophthalmology
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Corneal and conjunctival infections pose significant challenges due to drug-resistant bacteria and unsatisfactory traditional treatments for fungal keratitis.
- Developing novel therapeutic scaffolds is crucial for addressing severe ocular infections and preventing blindness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer surface-modified poly(lactic acid) electrospun nanofibrous membranes (PLA EFMs) incorporating silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNF).
- To evaluate the biocompatibility, cell proliferation, and antimicrobial efficacy of these novel scaffolds for ocular applications.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of PLA EFMs surface-modified with low-content AgNPs anchored by CNF.
- In-vitro co-culture experiments with ocular epithelial cells to assess biocompatibility and proliferation.
- Antibacterial and antifungal assays against common ocular pathogens like Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Fusarium spp.
Main Results:
- The developed scaffolds demonstrated enhanced hydrophilicity and significant antibacterial activity (>95% inhibition) against E. coli and S. aureus.
- Cell co-culture studies revealed excellent biocompatibility and notable proliferation of ocular epithelial cells, particularly on CNF-coated scaffolds.
- Outstanding antifungal activity was observed, with significant inhibition of Fusarium spp.
Conclusions:
- Surface-modified PLA EFMs with CNF and AgNPs serve as promising biocompatible ocular bandages.
- These scaffolds effectively promote ocular cell proliferation and exhibit potent antimicrobial and antifungal properties.
- The developed material holds significant potential for future applications in ocular wound healing and combating infectious diseases.
