Poly(amino acid) based fibrous membranes with tuneable in vivo biodegradation

PLoS One. 2021 Aug 13;16(8):e0254843. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254843. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

In this work two types of biodegradable polysuccinimide-based, electrospun fibrous membranes are presented. One contains disulfide bonds exhibiting a shorter (3 days) in vivo biodegradation time, while the other one has alkyl crosslinks and a longer biodegradation time (more than 7 days). According to the mechanical measurements, the tensile strength of the membranes is comparable to those of soft the connective tissues and visceral tissues. Furthermore, the suture retention test suggests, that the membranes would withstand surgical handling and in vivo fixation. The in vivo biocompatibility study demonstrates how membranes undergo in vivo hydrolysis and by the 3rd day they become poly(aspartic acid) fibrous membranes, which can be then enzymatically degraded. After one week, the disulfide crosslinked membranes almost completely degrade, while the alkyl-chain crosslinked ones mildly lose their integrity as the surrounding tissue invades them. Histopathology revealed mild acute inflammation, which diminished to a minimal level after seven days.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / chemistry*
  • Animals
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Membranes, Artificial*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Stress, Mechanical

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Membranes, Artificial

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH FK 124147), the János Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (JHA) and by the new national excellence program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology (ÚNKP-20-5-SE-9). The research was further financed by the Higher Education Institutional Excellence Programme of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology in Hungary, within the framework of the Therapeutic Development thematic programme of the Semmelweis University and by EFOP-3.6.3-VEKOP-16-2017-00009.