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Special Issue "Biopolymers and Nano-Objects Applications in Bioengineering"

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A special issue of Bioengineering (ISSN 2306-5354). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanotechnology Applications in Bioengineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2023 | Viewed by 4715

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Gary Chinga Carrasco

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Guest Editor

RISE PFI, Høgskoleringen 6b, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
Interests: biomaterials; hydrogels; 3D bioprinting; biocomposites; bio-applications; biomanufacturing; biofabrication
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Dear Colleagues,

Biopolymers and engineered nano-objects (nanoparticles, nanoplates and nanofibers) can have applications within several areas of research and development, including, food engineering, biology and medicine. Nano-scale structures provide a series of advantages, including tunable physical properties and surface chemistry that can be modified for targeted applications. Additionally, biopolymers and nano-objects are important materials for additive manufacturing (3D printing, bioprinting) and biomedicine. This includes the design of tailored medical devices, in vitro 3D substrates for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, as well as tissue models as drug-testing platforms. Such applications may also be aided by machine learning and artificial intelligence approaches in a bioengineering perspective and to enable patient-specific healthcare services. However, the synthesis and modification of nano-structures require manipulation at the nano-scale. This may imply a radical modification of the polymers’ physical and chemical properties, and may have significant biological effects. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the toxicological profile of biopolymers and engineered nano-objects in order to ensure biocompatibility.

Dr. Gary Chinga Carrasco
Guest Editor

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Keywords

biopolymers
nano-objects
synthesis, production, and applications
surface modifications and their biological effects
cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, immunogenic properties
applications in, e.g., tissue engineering, wound dressings, cell models, artificial skin, cancer models, and encapsulation for controlled release
characterization, including structural, physical, chemical, biological, and mechanical properties
machine learning and artificial intelligence applications in bioengineering

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 4871 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antibacterial Aerogels-Based Membranes by Customized Colloidal Functionalization of TEMPO-Oxidized Cellulose Nanofibers Incorporating CuO

Elena Usala

Eduardo Espinosa

Wasim El Arfaoui

Ramón Morcillo-Martín

Begoña Ferrari

and

Zoilo González

Bioengineering 2023, 10(11), 1312; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10111312 - 14 Nov 2023

Viewed by 540

Abstract

An innovative colloidal approach is proposed here to carry out the customized functionalization of TEMPO-Oxidized Cellulose Nanofibers (CNF) incorporating non-noble inorganic nanoparticles. A heterocoagulation process is applied between the delignified CNF and as-synthetized CuO nanoparticles (CuO NPs) to formulate mixtures which are used in the preparation of aerogels with antibacterial effect, which could be used to manufacture membranes, filters, foams, etc. The involved components of formulated blending, CNF and CuO NPs, were individually obtained by using a biorefinery strategy for agricultural waste valorization, together with an optimized chemical precipitation, assisted by ultrasounds. The optimization of synthesis parameters for CuO NPs has avoided the presence of undesirable species, which usually requires later thermal treatment with associated costs. The aerogels-based structure, obtained by conventional freeze-drying, acted as 3D support for CuO NPs, providing a good dispersion within the cross-linked structure of the nanocellulose and facilitating direct contact of the antibacterial phase against undesirable microorganisms. All samples showed a positive response against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. An increase of the antibacterial response of the aerogels, measured by agar disk diffusion test, has been observed with the increase of CuO NPs incorporated, obtaining the width of the antimicrobial “halo” (nw_halo) from 0 to 0.6 and 0.35 for S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. Furthermore, the aerogels have been able to deactivate S. aureus and E. coli in less than 5 h when the antibacterial assays have been analyzed by a broth dilution method. From CNF-50CuO samples, an overlap in the nanoparticle effect produced a decrease of the antimicrobial kinetic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers and Nano-Objects Applications in Bioengineering)

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12 pages, 1363 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Assessing the Genotoxicity of Cellulose Nanomaterials in a Co-Culture of Human Lung Epithelial Cells and Monocyte-Derived Macrophages

and

Bioengineering 2023, 10(8), 986; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10080986 - 21 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 981

Abstract

Cellulose micro/nanomaterials (CMNMs) are innovative materials with a wide spectrum of industrial and biomedical applications. Although cellulose has been recognized as a safe material, the unique properties of its nanosized forms have raised concerns about their safety for human health. Genotoxicity is an endpoint that must be assessed to ensure that no carcinogenic risks are associated with exposure to nanomaterials. In this study, we evaluated the genotoxicity of two types of cellulose micro/nanofibrils (CMF and CNF) and one sample of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), obtained from industrial bleached Eucalyptus globulus kraft pulp. For that, we exposed co-cultures of human alveolar epithelial A549 cells and THP-1 monocyte-derived macrophages to a concentration range of each CMNM and used the micronucleus (MN) and comet assays. Our results showed that only the lowest concentrations of the CMF sample were able to induce DNA strand breaks (FPG-comet assay). However, none of the three CMNMs produced significant chromosomal alterations (MN assay). These findings, together with results from previous in vitro studies using monocultures of A549 cells, indicate that the tested CNF and CNC are not genotoxic under the conditions tested, while the CMF display a low genotoxic potential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers and Nano-Objects Applications in Bioengineering)

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15 pages, 6536 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Co-Electrospun Poly(ε-Caprolactone)/Zein Articular Cartilage Scaffolds

and

Bioengineering 2023, 10(7), 771; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10070771 - 27 Jun 2023

Viewed by 987

Abstract

Osteoarthritis scaffold-based grafts fail because of poor integration with the surrounding soft tissue and inadequate tribological properties. To circumvent this, we propose electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone)/zein-based scaffolds owing to their biomimetic capabilities. The scaffold surfaces were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, static water contact angles, and profilometry. Scaffold biocompatibility properties were assessed by measuring protein adsorption (Bicinchoninic Acid Assay), cell spreading (stained F-actin), and metabolic activity (PrestoBlue™ Cell Viability Reagent) of primary bovine chondrocytes. The data show that zein surface segregation in the membranes not only completely changed the hydrophobic behavior of the materials, but also increased the cell yield and metabolic activity on the scaffolds. The surface segregation is verified by the infrared peak at 1658 cm⁻¹, along with the presence and increase in N1 content in the survey XPS. This observation could explain the decrease in the water contact angles from 125° to approximately 60° in zein-comprised materials and the decrease in the protein adsorption of both bovine serum albumin and synovial fluid by half. Surface nano roughness in the PCL/zein samples additionally benefited the radial spreading of bovine chondrocytes. This study showed that co-electrospun PCL/zein scaffolds have promising surface and biocompatibility properties for use in articular-tissue-engineering applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers and Nano-Objects Applications in Bioengineering)

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16 pages, 6918 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gene-Expression Analysis of Human Fibroblasts Affected by 3D-Printed Carboxylated Nanocellulose Constructs

and

Bioengineering 2023, 10(1), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10010121 - 16 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1545

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a highly valuable tool to manufacture porous constructs. This has major advantages in, for example, tissue engineering, in which 3D scaffolds provide a microenvironment with adequate porosity for cell growth and migration as a simulation of tissue regeneration. In this study, we assessed the suitability of three cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) that were obtained through 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpyperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)-mediated oxidation. The CNFs were obtained by applying three levels of carboxylation, i.e., 2.5, 3.8, and 6.0 mmol sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) per gram of cellulose. The CNFs exhibited different nanofibrillation levels, affecting the corresponding viscosity and 3D printability of the CNF gels (0.6 wt%). The scaffolds were manufactured by micro-extrusion and the nanomechanical properties were assessed with nanoindentation. Importantly, fibroblasts were grown on the scaffolds and the expression levels of the marker genes, which are relevant for wound healing and proliferation, were assessed in order to reveal the effect of the 3D-scaffold microenvironment of the cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers and Nano-Objects Applications in Bioengineering)

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