Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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The objective of this work was to study the effect of blending chitosan with poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) on their biomechanical properties. After testing the effect of molecular weight (MW), temperature, and humidity on the tensile properties in dry, wet at 25 degrees C and wet at 37 degrees C conditions, chitosan with a MW>310 kD was selected for use in the blend. Homogeneous blends of 25%, 50% and 75% PCL compositions were formed by dissolving chitosan and 80 kD PCL in a common solvent of approximately 77% aqueous acetic acid. Taking advantage of the low melting point of PCL, blend membranes were processed at 25, 37, 55 degrees C water bath or 55 degrees C oven into films. Also, membranes were solvent annealed using chloroform vapors. Tensile properties were analyzed in wet conditions at 25 degrees C. Support for cell viability and distribution of cytoskeletal actin were analyzed by in vitro cell culture of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). Differential scanning calorimetry studies indicated the miscibility of the two components when approximated using Nishi-Wang equation. Drying the films at 55 degrees C in an oven formed membranes without separation of two phases. However, the analyzed tensile properties showed no significant alterations relative to chitosan. On the contrary, significant improvements were observed after solvent annealing. Interestingly, increased viability and redistribution of actin fibers was observed on blends formed with 50% PCL and 75% PCL relative to individual polymers. In summary, 50:50 blends when processed at 55 degrees C in an oven showed significant improvement in mechanical properties as well as support for cellular activity relative to chitosan.
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PMID:Characterization of chitosan-polycaprolactone blends for tissue engineering applications. 1586 Feb 6

The aim of this study was to prepare non-woven materials from a biodegradable polymer, poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) by electrospinning. PCL was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone in bulk using stannous octoate as the catalyst under nitrogen atmosphere. PCL was then processed into non-woven matrices composed of nanofibers by electrospinning of the polymer from its solution using a high voltage power supply. The effects of PCL concentration, composition of the solvent (a mixture of chloroform and DMF with different DMF content), applied voltage and tip-collector distance on fiber diameter and morphology were investigated. The diameter of fibers increased with the increase in the polymer concentration and decrease in the DMF content significantly. Applied voltage and tip-collector distance were found critical to control 'bead' formation. Elongation-at-break, ultimate strength and Young's modulus were obtained from the mechanical tests, which were all increased by increasing fiber diameter. The fiber diameter significantly influenced both in vitro degradation (performed in Ringer solution) and in vivo biodegradation (conducted in rats) rates. In vivo degradation was found to be faster than in vitro. Electrospun membranes were more hydrophobic than PCL solvent-casted ones; therefore, their degradation was a much slower process.
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PMID:In vitro and in vivo degradation of non-woven materials made of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) nanofibers prepared by electrospinning under different conditions. 1636 36

Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL 6, 12, and 24 wt %) and titanium (TiO2) organic-inorganic hybrid materials have been synthesized by the sol-gel method from a multicomponent solution containing titanium butoxide, poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL), water, and chloroform (CHCl3). Sodium ampicillin was incorporated in the hybrid material to verify the effect as local controlled drug delivery system. The structure of a hybrid materials interpenetrating network is realized by hydrogen bonds between Ti-OH group (H-donator) in the sol-gel intermediate species and carboxylic group (H-acceptor) in the repeating units of the polymer. The presence of hydrogen bonds between organic/inorganic components of the hybrid materials was proved by FTIR analysis. The morphology of the hybrid materials was studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The structure of a molecular level dispersion has been disclosed by atomic force microscope (AFM), pore size distribution and surface measurements. The bioactivity of the synthesized hybrid materials has been showed by the formation of a layer of hydroxyapatite on the surface of TiO2/PCL samples soaked in a fluid simulating the composition of the human blood plasma. The amount of sodium ampicillin released has been detected by UV-vis spectroscopy and SEM. The release kinetics seems to occur in more than one stage. HPLC analysis has also been taken to ensure the integrity of ampicillin after the synthetic treatment.
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PMID:Release kinetics of ampicillin, characterization and bioactivity of TiO2/PCL hybrid materials synthesized by sol-gel processing. 1640 15

Novel biodegradable and biocompatible poly(epsilon-caprolactone)-graft-poly(ethylene oxide), PCL-g-PEO, copolymers consisting of biocompatible blocks have been synthesized by ring-opening copolymerization of epsilon-caprolactone (epsilon CL) and a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) macromonomer, i.e., PEO end-capped by an epsilon-caprolactone unit (gamma PEO.CL). The control is effective on the composition and length of both the hydrophobic polyester backbone and the hydrophilic PEO grafts. The reactivity ratios have been determined by monitoring the copolymer composition in relation to the comonomer conversion. The PCL-g-PEO copolymers have a tapered (gradient) rather than a random structure consistent with r(epsilon)CL = 3.95 and r(gamma)PEO.CL = 0.05. The amphiphilic graft copolymers display surfactant properties similar to those of PEO-b-PCL diblock copolymers of comparable composition and solubility, as supported by CHCl3/water interfacial tension measured by the pendant drop method.
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PMID:Controlled synthesis and interface properties of new amphiphilic PCL-g-PEO copolymers. 1692 23

The change in fluorescence anisotropy upon micellization in headgroup-labeled surfactants is investigated. After eliminating the likelihood of depolarizing RET, anisotropy is shown to increase upon self-assembly due to increased rotational correlation times of the fluorophore. This is shown using two surfactant-fluorophore systems. Anisotropy in NBD-labeled phospholipids is studied both in chloroform (unaggregated) and in water (unilamellar vesicles), while in tryptophan-containing peptide-amphiphiles, the variation of anisotropy with concentration leads to a reasonable measurement of CAC. Anisotropy increase is shown to be largely the product of increased rotational correlation times for the fluorophore, relative to its tau. These results serve as a basis for future work that measures the amount of depolarizing energy transfer, characterizing distances between similar fluorescent headgroups on mixed micelles.
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PMID:Increase of fluorescence anisotropy upon self-assembly in headgroup-labeled surfactants. 1729 6

A blend mixture of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was electrospun to produce fibrous meshes that could release a protein drug in a controlled manner. Various biodegradable polymers, such as poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA), poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL), and poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) were dissolved, along with PEO and lysozyme, in a mixture of chloroform and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). The mixture was electrospun to produce lysozyme loaded fibrous meshes. Among the polymers, the PCL/PEO blend meshes showed good morphological stability upon incubation in the buffer solution, resulting in controlled release of lysozyme over an extended period with reduced initial bursts. With varying the PCL/PEO blending ratio, the release rate of lysozyme from the corresponding meshes could be readily modulated. The lysozyme release was facilitated by increasing the amount of PEO, indicating that entrapped lysozyme was mainly released out by controlled dissolution of PEO from the blend meshes. Lysozyme released from the electrospun fibers retained sufficient catalytic activity.
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PMID:Controlled protein release from electrospun biodegradable fiber mesh composed of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and poly(ethylene oxide). 1732 Oct 84

Electrospun zein membranes were prepared using DMF as solvent. By changing the solution concentration, the electrospinning voltage and the distance between the spinneret and collector, nanofibrous meshes without bead defects could be obtained. In order to improve the mechanical strength of the hydrated zein meshes, core-shell-structured nanofibrous membranes with PCL as the core material and zein forming the shell were prepared by coaxial electrospinning. The core-shell structure of the composite fibers was confirmed by SEM characterization of the fibers, either extracted with chloroform to remove the inner PCL, or elongated to expose their cross-section. The composition and average diameter of the composite fibers could be modulated by the feed rate of the inner PCL solution. It was found that the core-shell fibrous membranes have similar wettability to the electrospun zein mesh. The presence of PCL in the fibers could significantly improve the mechanical properties of the zein membrane.
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PMID:Fabrication and characterization of zein-based nanofibrous scaffolds by an electrospinning method. 1742 29

Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL 6, 12 and 24 wt%) and zirconium (ZrO(2)) organic-inorganic hybrid materials have been synthesized by the sol-gel method from a multicomponent solution containing zirconium propoxide [Zr(OC(2)H(7))(4)], poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL), water, chloroform (CHCl(3)). Sodium ampicillin was incorporate in the hybrid materials to verify the effect as local controlled drug delivery system. The structure of interpenetrating network is realized by hydrogen bonds between Zr-OH group (H donator) in the sol-gel intermediate species and carboxylic group (H-acceptor) in the repeating units of the polymer. The presence of hydrogen bonds between organic/inorganic components of the hybrid material was proved by FTIR analysis. The morphology of the hybrid material was studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The structure of a molecular level dispersion has been disclosed by atomic force microscope (AFM), pore size distribution and surface measurements. The bioactivity of the synthesized hybrid material has been showed by the formation of a layer of hydroxyapatite on the surface of PCL/ZrO(2) samples soaked in a fluid simulating the composition of the human blood plasma. Release kinetics in a simulate body fluid (SBF) have been subsequently investigated. The amount of sodium ampicillin released has been detected by UV-VIS spectroscopy and SEM. The release kinetics seems to occur in more than one stage. HPLC analysis has also been taken to ensure the integrity of ampicillin after the synthetic treatment.
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PMID:Sol-gel processing of drug delivery zirconia/polycaprolactone hybrid materials. 1761 79

In this work, hollow fibers to be used as guides for tissue engineering applications were produced by dry-jet-wet spinning of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)/poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PHBHV/PCL) solutions in chloroform with various weight ratios between the components (PHBHV/PCL 100/0; 80/20; 60/40; 50/50; 40/60; 20/80; 0/100 w/w). Fibers obtained from PHBHV/PCL blends had a low degree of surface and bulk porosity, depending on composition. Physicochemical characterization involving scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that PHBHV/PCL blends are compatible. Interactions between blend components were studied by Fourier transform infrared total reflectance spectroscopy, DSC analysis, and polarized optical microscopy analysis. Homogeneity of blend composition was assessed by IR-chemical imaging analysis. PHBHV/PCL samples were found to be weakly hydrophilic and their biocompatibility was proved by in vitro tests using mouse fibroblasts. Mechanical properties of PHBHV/PCL blends were investigated by stress-strain tests, showing an increasing ductility of blend samples with increasing PCL amount. Hollow fibers supported fibroblasts attachment and proliferation depending on composition and porosity degree.
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PMID:Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)/poly(epsilon-caprolactone) blends for tissue engineering applications in the form of hollow fibers. 1789 70

Electrospun fibers with contrasting cell adhesion properties provided non-woven substrates with enhanced in vitro acceptance and controllable cell interactions. Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PEG-b-PCL) block copolymers with varying segment lengths were synthesized in two steps and characterized by NMR and GPC. A cell adhesive peptide sequence, GRGDS, was covalently coupled to the PEG segment of the copolymer in an additional step. The suitability of polymers with molecular weights ranging from 10 to 30 kDa for electrospinning and the influences of molecular weight, solvent, and concentration on the resulting morphologies were investigated. Generally, electrospun fibers were obtained by electrospinning polymers with molecular weight larger than 25 kDa and concentrations of 10 wt%. Methanol/chloroform (25/75, v/v) mixtures proved to be good solvent systems for electrospinning the PEG-b-PCL and resulted in hydrophilic, non-woven fiber meshes (contact angle 30 degrees ). The mesh without cell adhesive GRGDS ligands showed no attachment of human dermal fibroblasts after 24 h cell culture demonstrating that the particular combination of the material and electrospinnig conditions yielded protein and cell repellent properties. The GRGDS immobilized mesh showed excellent cellular attachment with fibroblasts viable after 24 h with spread morphology. Electrospun nanofibers based on block copolymers have been produced which are capable of specifically targeting cell receptor binding and are a promising material for tissue engineering and controlling cell material interactions.
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PMID:Biofunctionalized poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) nanofibers for tissue engineering. 1799 77


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