Biological effects of functionalizing copolymer scaffolds with nanodiamond particles

Bioactive Scaffolds as a Promising Alternative for Enhancing Critical-Size Bone Defect Regeneration in the Craniomaxillofacial Region

Reconstruction of critical-size bone defects (CSDs) in the craniomaxillofacial (CMF) region remains challenging. Scaffold-based bone-engineered constructs have been proposed as an alternative to the classical treatments made with autografts and allografts. Scaffolds, a key component of engineered constructs, have been traditionally viewed as biologically passive temporary replacements of deficient bone lacking intrinsic cues to promote osteogenesis. Nowadays, scaffolds are functionalized, giving rise to bioactive scaffolds promoting bone regeneration more effectively than conventional counterparts. This review focuses on the three approaches most used to bioactivate scaffolds: (1) conferring microarchitectural designs or surface nanotopography; (2) loading bioactive molecules; and (3) seeding stem cells on scaffolds, providing relevant examples of in vivo (preclinical and clinical) studies where these methods are employed to enhance CSDs healing in the CMF region. From these, adding bioactive molecules (specifically bone morphogenetic proteins or BMPs) to scaffolds has been the most explored to bioactivate scaffolds. Nevertheless, the downsides of grafting BMP-loaded scaffolds in patients have limited its successful translation into clinics. Despite these drawbacks, scaffolds containing safer, cheaper, and more effective bioactive molecules, combined with stem cells and topographical cues, remain a promising alternative for clinical use to treat CSDs in the CMF complex replacing autografts and allografts.

Advances and Prospects in Materials for Craniofacial Bone Reconstruction

The craniofacial region is composed of 23 bones, which provide crucial function in keeping the normal position of brain and eyeballs, aesthetics of the craniofacial complex, facial movements, and visual function. Given the complex geometry and architecture, craniofacial bone defects not only affect the normal craniofacial structure but also may result in severe craniofacial dysfunction. Therefore, the exploration of rapid, precise, and effective reconstruction of craniofacial bone defects is urgent. Recently, developments in advanced bone tissue engineering bring new hope for the ideal reconstruction of the craniofacial bone defects. This report, presenting a first-time comprehensive review of recent advances of biomaterials in craniofacial bone tissue engineering, overviews the modification of traditional biomaterials and development of advanced biomaterials applying to craniofacial reconstruction. Challenges and perspectives of biomaterial development in craniofacial fields are discussed in the end.

Immune-instructive copolymer scaffolds using plant-derived nanoparticles to promote bone regeneration

Background

Age-driven immune signals cause a state of chronic low-grade inflammation and in consequence affect bone healing and cause challenges for clinicians when repairing critical-sized bone defects in elderly patients.

Methods

Poly(l-lactide-co-ɛ-caprolactone) (PLCA) scaffolds are functionalized with plant-derived nanoparticles from potato, rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I), to investigate their ability to modulate inflammation in vitro in neutrophils and macrophages at gene and protein levels. The scaffolds’ early and late host response at gene, protein and histological levels is tested in vivo in a subcutaneous rat model and their potential to promote bone regeneration in an aged rodent was tested in a critical-sized calvaria bone defect. Significant differences were tested using one-way ANOVA, followed by a multiple-comparison Tukey’s test with a p value ≤ 0.05 considered significant.

Results

Gene expressions revealed PLCA scaffold functionalized with plant-derived RG-I with a relatively higher amount of galactose than arabinose (potato dearabinated (PA)) to reduce the inflammatory state stimulated by bacterial LPS in neutrophils and macrophages in vitro. LPS-stimulated neutrophils show a significantly decreased intracellular accumulation of galectin-3 in the presence of PA functionalization compared to Control (unmodified PLCA scaffolds). The in vivo gene and protein expressions revealed comparable results to in vitro. The host response is modulated towards anti-inflammatory/ healing at early and late time points at gene and protein levels. A reduced foreign body reaction and fibrous capsule formation is observed when PLCA scaffolds functionalized with PA were implanted in vivo subcutaneously. PLCA scaffolds functionalized with PA modulated the cytokine and chemokine expressions in vivo during early and late inflammatory phases. PLCA scaffolds functionalized with PA implanted in calvaria defects of aged rats downregulating pro-inflammatory gene markers while promoting osteogenic markers after 2 weeks in vivo.

Conclusion

We have shown that PLCA scaffolds functionalized with plant-derived RG-I with a relatively higher amount of galactose play a role in the modulation of inflammatory responses both in vitro and in vivo subcutaneously and promote the initiation of bone formation in a critical-sized bone defect of an aged rodent. Our study addresses the increasing demand in bone tissue engineering for immunomodulatory 3D scaffolds that promote osteogenesis and modulate immune responses.

Metallic Nanoscaffolds as Osteogenic Promoters: Advances, Challenges and Scope

Bone injuries and fractures are often associated with post-surgical failures, extended healing times, infection, a lack of return to a normal active lifestyle, and corrosion associated allergies. In this regard, this review presents a comprehensive report on advances in nanotechnology driven solutions for bone tissue engineering. The fabrication of metals such as copper, gold, platinum, palladium, silver, strontium, titanium, zinc oxide, and magnetic nanoparticles with tunable physico-chemical and opto-electronic properties for osteogenic scaffolds is discussed here in detail. Furthermore, the rational selection of a polymeric base such as chitosan, collagen, poly (L-lactide), hydroxyl-propyl-methyl cellulose, poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid, polyglucose-sorbitol-carboxymethy ether, polycaprolactone, natural rubber latex, and silk fibroin for scaffold preparation is also discussed. These advanced materials and fabrication strategies not only provide for appropriate mechanical strength but also render integrity, making them appealing for orthopedic applications. Further, such scaffolds can be functionalized with ligands or biomolecules such as hydroxyapatite, polypyrrole (PPy), magnesium, zinc dopants, and growth factors to stimulate osteogenic differentiation, mineralization, and neovascularization to aid in rapid healing. Future directions to co-incorporate bioceramics, biogenic nanoparticles, and fourth generation biomaterials to enhance biocompatibility, mechanical properties, and rapid recovery are also included in this review. Hence, the further development of such biomimetic metal-based nano-scaffolds at a lower cost with reduced risks and greater efficacy at regrowing bone can revolutionize the future of orthopedics.

Nanodiamond-chitosan functionalized hernia mesh for biocompatibility and antimicrobial activity

Polypropylene (PP) mesh is most commonly used for the treatment of hernia and pelvic floor construction. However, some of the patients have a few complications after surgery due to the rejection or infection of the implanted meshes. The poor biocompatibility of PP mesh, low wettability results in poor cell attachment/proliferation and restricts the loading of antibacterial agent, leading to a slow healing process and high risk of infection after surgery. Here in this study, a new technique has been employed to develop a novel antimicrobial and biocompatible PP mesh modified with bioactive chitosan and functionalized nanodiamond (FND) for infection inhibition and acceleration of the healing process. An oxygen plasma treatment PP mesh was used then chitosan was strongly attached to the surface of the PP fibers. Subsequently, FND as an antibacterial agent was loaded into the chitosan modified PP fiber to provide desired antibacterial functions. The meshes were characterised with XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, water contact angle, confocal, and optical microscopy. The modified PP mesh with chitosan and FND showed a significant increase in its hydrophilicity and L929 fibroblast cell attachment. Furthermore, the modified mesh exhibited great antibacterial efficiency against Escherichia coli. Therefore, the newly developed technique to modify PP mesh could be a promising technique to generate a biocompatible PP mesh to accelerate the healing process and reduce the risk of infection after surgery.

Comparison of bone regenerative capacity of donor-matched human adipose-derived and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Adipose-derived stem cells (ASC) have been used as an alternative to bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) for bone tissue engineering. However, the efficacy of ASC in bone regeneration in comparison with BMSC remains debatable, since inconsistent results have been reported. Comparing ASC with BMSC obtained from different individuals might contribute to this inconsistency in results. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the bone regenerative capacity of donor-matched human ASC and BMSC seeded onto poly(l-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) scaffolds using calvarial bone defects in nude rats. First, donor-matched ASC and BMSC were seeded onto the co-polymer scaffolds to evaluate their in vitro osteogenic differentiation. Seeded scaffolds and scaffolds without cells (control) were then implanted in calvarial defects in nude rats. The expression of osteogenesis-related genes was examined after 4 weeks. Cellular activity was investigated after 4 and 12 weeks. Bone formation was evaluated radiographically and histologically after 4, 12, and 24 weeks. In vitro, ASC and BMSC demonstrated mineralization. However, BMSC showed higher alkaline phosphatase activity than ASC. In vivo, human osteogenesis–related genes Runx2 and collagen type I were expressed in defects with scaffold/cells. Defects with scaffold/BMSC had higher cellular activity than defects with scaffold/ASC. Moreover, bone formation in defects with scaffold/BMSC was greater than in defects with scaffold/ASC, especially at the early time-point. These results suggest that although ASC have the potential to regenerate bone, the rate of bone regeneration with ASC may be slower than with BMSC. Accordingly, BMSC are more suitable for bone regenerative applications.

Hemocompatibility of Carbon Nanostructures

Carbon nanostructures (CNs), such as carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, carbon dots, nanodiamonds as well as graphene and its derivatives present a tremendous potential for various biomedical applications, ranging from sensing to drug delivery and gene therapy, biomedical imaging and tissue engineering. Since most of these applications encompass blood contact or intravenous injection, hemocompatibility is a critical aspect that must be carefully considered to take advantage of CN exceptional characteristics while allowing their safe use. This review discusses the hemocompatibility of different classes of CNs with the purpose of providing biomaterial scientists with a comprehensive vision of the interactions between CNs and blood components. The various complex mechanisms involved in blood compatibility, including coagulation, hemolysis, as well as the activation of complement, platelets, and leukocytes will be considered. Special attention will be paid to the role of CN size, structure, and surface properties in the formation of the protein corona and in the processes that drive blood response. The aim of this review is to emphasize the importance of hemocompatibility for CNs intended for biomedical applications and to provide some valuable insights for the development of new generation particles with improved performance and safety in the physiological environment.

Fabrication and Biocompatibility Evaluation of Nanodiamonds-Gelatin Electrospun Materials Designed for Prospective Tissue Regeneration Applications

Due to the reduced ability of most harmed tissues to self-regenerate, new strategies are being developed in order to promote self-repair assisted or not by biomaterials, among these tissue engineering (TE). Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) currently represent a promising tool for tissue reconstruction, due to their low immunogenicity, high differentiation potential to multiple cell types and easy harvesting. Gelatin is a natural biocompatible polymer used for regenerative applications, while nanodiamond particles (NDs) are used as reinforcing nanomaterial that might modulate cell behavior, namely cell adhesion, viability, and proliferation. The development of electrospun microfibers loaded with NDs is expected to allow nanomechanical sensing due to local modifications of both nanostructure and stiffness. Two aqueous suspensions with 0.5 and 1% w/v NDs in gelatin from cold water fish skin (FG) were used to generate electrospun meshes. Advanced morpho- and micro-structural characterization revealed homogeneous microfibers. Nanoindentation tests confirmed the reinforcing effect of NDs. Biocompatibility assays showed an increased viability and proliferation profile of hASCs in contact with FG_NDs, correlated with very low cytotoxic effects of the materials. Moreover, hASCs developed an elongated cytoskeleton, suggesting that NDs addition to FG materials encouraged cell adhesion. This study showed the FG_NDs fibrous scaffolds potential for advanced TE applications.

In vitro cytotoxicity assessment of nanodiamond particles and their osteogenic potential

Scaffolds functionalized with nanodiamond particles (nDP) hold great promise with regard to bone tissue formation in animal models. Degradation of the scaffolds over time may leave nDP within the tissues, raising concerns about possible long-term unwanted effects. Human SaOS-2 osteoblast-like cells and U937 monoblastoid cells were exposed to five different concentrations (0.002-2 mg/L) of nDP (size range: 2.36-4.42 nm) for 24 h. Cell viability was assessed by impedance-based methods. The differential expression of stress and toxicity-related genes was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) super-array, while the expression of selected inflammatory and cell death markers was determined by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Furthermore, the expression of osteogenic genes by SaOS-2 cells, alkaline phosphatase activity and the extracellular calcium nodule deposition in response to nDP were determined in vitro. Cells responded differently to higher nDP concentrations (≥0.02 mg/L), that is, no loss of viability for SaOS-2 cells and significantly reduced viability for U937 cells. Gene expression showed significant upregulation of several cell death and inflammatory markers, among other toxicity reporter genes, indicating inflammatory and cytotoxic responses in U937 cells. Nanodiamond particles improved the osteogenicity of osteoblast-like cells with no evident cytotoxicity. However, concentration-dependent cytotoxic and inflammatory responses were seen in the U937 cells, negatively affecting osteogenicity in co-cultures. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 1697-1707, 2018.

Multifunctional nanodiamonds in regenerative medicine: Recent advances and future directions

With recent advances in the field of nanomedicine, many new strategies have emerged for diagnosing and treating diseases. At the forefront of this multidisciplinary research, carbon nanomaterials have demonstrated unprecedented potential for a variety of regenerative medicine applications including novel drug delivery platforms that facilitate the localized and sustained release of therapeutics. Nanodiamonds (NDs) are a unique class of carbon nanoparticles that are gaining increasing attention for their biocompatibility, highly functional surfaces, optical properties, and robust physical properties. Their remarkable features have established NDs as an invaluable regenerative medicine platform, with a broad range of clinically relevant applications ranging from targeted delivery systems for insoluble drugs, bioactive substrates for stem cells, and fluorescent probes for long-term tracking of cells and biomolecules in vitro and in vivo. This review introduces the synthesis techniques and the various routes of surface functionalization that allow for precise control over the properties of NDs. It also provides an in-depth overview of the current progress made toward the use of NDs in the fields of drug delivery, tissue engineering, and bioimaging. Their future outlook in regenerative medicine including the current clinical significance of NDs, as well as the challenges that must be overcome to successfully translate the reviewed technologies from research platforms to clinical therapies will also be discussed.

Development of nanomaterials for bone-targeted drug delivery

Bone is one of the major organs of the human body; it supports and protects other organs, produces blood cells, stores minerals, and regulates hormones. Therefore, disorders in bone can cause serious morbidity, complications, or mortality of patients. However, despite the significant occurrence of bone diseases, such as osteoarthritis (OA), osteoporosis (OP), non-union bone defects, bone cancer, and myeloma-related bone disease, their effective treatments remain a challenge. In this review, we highlight recent progress in the development of nanotechnology-based drug delivery for bone treatment, based on its improved delivery efficiency and safety. We summarize the most commonly used nanomaterials for bone drug delivery. We then discuss the targeting strategies of these nanomaterials to the diseased sites of bone tissue. We also highlight nanotechnology-based drug delivery to bone cells and subcellular organelles. We envision that nanotechnology-based drug delivery will serve as a powerful tool for developing treatments for currently incurable bone diseases.

Uptake and intracellular accumulation of diamond nanoparticles - a metabolic and cytotoxic study

Diamond nanoparticles, known as nanodiamonds (NDs), possess several medically significant properties. Having a tailorable and easily accessible surface gives them great potential for use in sensing and imaging applications and as a component of cell growth scaffolds. In this work we investigate in vitro interactions of human osteoblast-like SAOS-2 cells with four different groups of NDs, namely high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) NDs (diameter 18-210 nm, oxygen-terminated), photoluminescent HPHT NDs (diameter 40 nm, oxygen-terminated), detonation NDs (diameter 5 nm, H-terminated), and the same detonation NDs further oxidized by annealing at 450 °C. The influence of the NDs on cell viability and cell count was measured by the mitochondrial metabolic activity test and by counting cells with stained nuclei. The interaction of NDs with cells was monitored by phase contrast live-cell imaging in real time. For both types of oxygen-terminated HPHT NDs, the cell viability and the cell number remained almost the same for concentrations up to 100 µg/mL within the whole range of ND diameters tested. The uptake of hydrogen-terminated detonation NDs caused the viability and the cell number to decrease by 80-85%. The oxidation of the NDs hindered the decrease, but on day 7, a further decrease was observed. While the O-terminated NDs showed mechanical obstruction of cells by agglomerates preventing cell adhesion, migration and division, the H-terminated detonation NDs exhibited rapid penetration into the cells from the beginning of the cultivation period, and also rapid cell congestion and a rapid reduction in viability. These findings are discussed with reference to relevant properties of NDs such as surface chemical bonds, zeta potential and nanoparticle types.

Functionalization of bone implants with nanodiamond particles and angiopoietin-1 to improve vascularization and bone regeneration

One of the major challenges in bone tissue engineering is adequate vascularization within bone substituents for nutrients and oxygen supply. In this study, the production and results of a new, highly functional bone construct consisting of a commercial three-dimensional β-tricalcium phosphate scaffold (β-TCP, ChronOS®) and hydrophilic, functionalized nanodiamond (ND) particles are reported. A 30-fold increase in the active surface area of the ChronOS + ND scaffold was achieved after modification with ND. In addition, immobilization of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) via physisorption within the β-TCP + ND scaffold retained the bioactivity of the growth factor. Homogeneous distribution of the ND and Ang-1 within the core of the three-dimensional scaffold was confirmed using ND covalently labelled with Oregon Green. The biological responses of the β-TCP + ND scaffold with and without Ang-1 were studied in a sheep calvaria critical size defect model showing that the β-TCP + ND scaffold improved the blood vessel ingrowth and the β-TCP + ND + ND + Ang-1 scaffold further promoted vascularization and new bone formation. The results demonstrate that the modification of scaffolds with tailored diamond nanoparticles is a valuable method for improving the characteristics of bone implants and enables new approaches in bone tissue engineering.

Carbon Nanostructures in Bone Tissue Engineering

BACKGROUND

Recent advances in developing biocompatible materials for treating bone loss or defects have dramatically changed clinicians' reconstructive armory. Current clinically available reconstructive options have certain advantages, but also several drawbacks that prevent them from gaining universal acceptance. A wide range of synthetic and natural biomaterials is being used to develop tissue-engineered bone. Many of these materials are currently in the clinical trial stage.

METHODS

A selective literature review was performed for carbon nanostructure composites in bone tissue engineering.

RESULTS

Incorporation of carbon nanostructures significantly improves the mechanical properties of various biomaterials to mimic that of natural bone. Recently, carbon-modified biomaterials for bone tissue engineering have been extensively investigated to potentially revolutionize biomaterials for bone regeneration.

CONCLUSION

This review summarizes the chemical and biophysical properties of carbon nanostructures and discusses their functionality in bone tissue regeneration.

Biocompatibility Assessment of Detonation Nanodiamond in Non-Human Primates and Rats Using Histological, Hematologic, and Urine Analysis

Detonation nanodiamonds (DNDs) have been widely explored for biomedical applications ranging from cancer therapy to magnetic resonance imaging due to several promising properties. These include faceted surfaces that mediate potent drug binding and water coordination that have resulted in marked enhancements to the efficacy and safety of drug delivery and imaging. In addition, scalable processing of DNDs yields uniform particles. Furthermore, a broad spectrum of biocompatibility studies has shown that DNDs appear to be well-tolerated. Prior to the clinical translation of DNDs for indications that are addressed via intravenous administration, comprehensive assessment of DND safety in both small and large animal preclinical models is needed. This article reports the results of a DND biocompatibility study in both non-human primates and rats. The rat study was performed as a multiple dose subacute investigation in two cohorts that lasted for 2 weeks and included histological, serum, and urine analysis. The non-human primate study was performed as a dual gender, multiple dose, and long-term investigation in both standard/clinically relevant and elevated dosing cohorts that lasted for 6 months and included comprehensive serum, urine, histological, and body weight analysis. The results from these studies indicate that NDs are well-tolerated at clinically relevant doses. Examination of dose-dependent changes in biomarker levels provides important guidance for the downstream in-human validation of DNDs for clinical drug delivery and imaging.

Bone tissue engineering using polyetherketoneketone scaffolds combined with autologous mesenchymal stem cells in a sheep calvarial defect model

Polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) a high performance thermoplastic polymer that is FDA-approved for cranio- and maxillo-facial as well as spineal surgery. We studied the viability, growth and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived human and sheep mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in combination with a 3D scaffold made of PEKK using different cell-based assays. To investigate if autologous MSC, either undifferentiated or osteogenically pre-differentiated, augmented bone formation after implantation, we implanted cell-seeded 3D PEKK scaffolds into calvarial defects in sheep for 12 weeks. The volume and quality of newly formed bone were investigated using micro-computer tomography (micro-CT) and histological stainings. Our results show that the 3D PEKK scaffolds were cyto- and bio-compatible. They allowed for adherence, growth and osteogenic differentiation of human and ovine MSC. However, bone healing seemed unaffected by whether the scaffolds were seeded with MSC. Considerable amounts of newly formed bone were found in all PEKK treated groups, but a fibrous capsule was formed around the implants regardless of cell seeding with MSC.

Nanodiamond modified copolymer scaffolds affects tumour progression of early neoplastic oral keratinocytes

This study aimed to evaluate the tumorigenic potential of functionalising poly(LLA-co-CL) scaffolds. The copolymer scaffolds were functionalised with nanodiamonds (nDP) or with nDP and physisorbed BMP-2 (nDP-PHY) to enhance osteoinductivity. Culturing early neoplastic dysplastic keratinocytes (DOK(Luc)) on nDP modified scaffolds reduced significantly their subsequent sphere formation ability and decreased significantly the cells' proliferation in the supra-basal layers of in vitro 3D oral neoplastic mucosa (3D-OT) when compared to DOK(Luc) previously cultured on nDP-PHY scaffolds. Using an in vivo non-invasive environmentally-induced oral carcinogenesis model, nDP scaffolds were observed to reduce bioluminescence intensity of tumours formed by DOK(Luc) + carcinoma associated fibroblasts (CAF). nDP modification was also found to promote differentiation of DOK(Luc) both in vitro in 3D-OT and in vivo in xenografts formed by DOK(Luc) alone. The nDP-PHY scaffold had the highest number of invasive tumours formed by DOK(Luc) + CAF outside the scaffold area compared to the nDP and control scaffolds. In conclusion, in vitro and in vivo results presented here demonstrate that nDP modified copolymer scaffolds are able to decrease the tumorigenic potential of DOK(Luc), while confirming concerns for the therapeutic use of BMP-2 for reconstruction of bone defects in oral cancer patients due to its tumour promoting capabilities.

In Vivo Host Response and Degradation of Copolymer Scaffolds Functionalized with Nanodiamonds and Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2

The aim is to evaluate the effect of modifying poly[(l-lactide)-co-(ε-caprolactone)] scaffolds (PLCL) with nanodiamonds (nDP) or with nDP+physisorbed BMP-2 (nDP+BMP-2) on in vivo host tissue response and degradation. The scaffolds are implanted subcutaneously in Balb/c mice and retrieved after 1, 8, and 27 weeks. Molecular weight analysis shows that modified scaffolds degrade faster than the unmodified. Gene analysis at week 1 shows highest expression of proinflammatory markers around nDP scaffolds; although the presence of inflammatory cells and foreign body giant cells is more prominent around the PLCL. Tissue regeneration markers are highly expressed in the nDP+BMP-2 scaffolds at week 8. A fibrous capsule is detectable by week 8, thinnest around nDP scaffolds and at week 27 thickest around PLCL scaffolds. mRNA levels of ALP, COL1α2, and ANGPT1 are significantly upregulating in the nDP+BMP-2 scaffolds at week 1 with ectopic bone seen at week 8. Even when almost 90% of the scaffold is degraded at week 27, nDP are observable at implantation areas without adverse effects. In conclusion, modifying PLCL scaffolds with nDP does not aggravate the host response and physisorbed BMP-2 delivery attenuates inflammation while lowering the dose of BMP-2 to a relatively safe and economical level.

Adenoviral Mediated Expression of BMP2 by Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Cultured in 3D Copolymer Scaffolds Enhances Bone Formation

Selection of appropriate osteoinductive growth factors, suitable delivery method and proper supportive scaffold are critical for a successful outcome in bone tissue engineering using bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC). This study examined the molecular and functional effect of a combination of adenoviral mediated expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) in BMSC and recently developed and characterized, biodegradable Poly(L-lactide-co-є-caprolactone){poly(LLA-co-CL)}scaffolds in osteogenic molecular changes and ectopic bone formation by using in vitro and in vivo approaches. Pathway-focused custom PCR array, validation using TaqMan based quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and ALP staining showed significant up-regulation of several osteogenic and angiogenic molecules, including ALPL and RUNX2 in ad-BMP2 BMSC group grown in poly(LLA-co-CL) scaffolds both at 3 and 14 days. Micro CT and histological analyses of the subcutaneously implanted scaffolds in NOD/SCID mice revealed significantly increased radiopaque areas, percentage bone volume and formation of vital bone in ad-BMP2 scaffolds as compared to the control groups both at 2 and 8 weeks. The increased bone formation in the ad-BMP2 group in vivo was paralleled at the molecular level with concomitant over-expression of a number of osteogenic and angiogenic genes including ALPL, RUNX2, SPP1, ANGPT1. The increased bone formation in ad-BMP2 explants was not found to be associated with enhanced endochondral activity as evidenced by qRT-PCR (SOX9 and FGF2) and Safranin O staining. Taken together, combination of adenoviral mediated BMP-2 expression in BMSC grown in the newly developed poly(LLA-co-CL) scaffolds induced expression of osteogenic markers and enhanced bone formation in vivo.

Nanodiamond-Gutta Percha Composite Biomaterials for Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy (RCT) represents a standard of treatment that addresses infected pulp tissue in teeth and protects against future infection. RCT involves removing dental pulp comprising blood vessels and nerve tissue, decontaminating residually infected tissue through biomechanical instrumentation, and root canal obturation using a filler material to replace the space that was previously composed of dental pulp. Gutta percha (GP) is typically used as the filler material, as it is malleable, inert, and biocompatible. While filling the root canal space with GP is the standard of care for endodontic therapies, it has exhibited limitations including leakage, root canal reinfection, and poor mechanical properties. To address these challenges, clinicians have explored the use of alternative root filling materials other than GP. Among the classes of materials that are being explored as novel endodontic therapy platforms, nanodiamonds (NDs) may offer unique advantages due to their favorable properties, particularly for dental applications. These include versatile faceted surface chemistry, biocompatibility, and their role in improving mechanical properties, among others. This study developed a ND-embedded GP (NDGP) that was functionalized with amoxicillin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic commonly used for endodontic infection. Comprehensive materials characterization confirmed improved mechanical properties of NDGP over unmodified GP. In addition, digital radiography and microcomputed tomography imaging demonstrated that obturation of root canals with NDGP could be achieved using clinically relevant techniques. Furthermore, bacterial growth inhibition assays confirmed drug functionality of NDGP functionalized with amoxicillin. This study demonstrates a promising path toward NDGP implementation in future endodontic therapy for improved treatment outcomes.

Cell seeding density is a critical determinant for copolymer scaffolds-induced bone regeneration

Constructs intended for bone tissue engineering (TE) are influenced by the initial cell seeding density. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs) density loaded onto copolymer scaffolds on bone regeneration. BMSCs were harvested from rat's bone marrow and cultured in media with or without osteogenic supplements. Cells were seeded onto poly(l‐lactide‐co‐ε‐caprolactone) [poly(LLA‐co‐CL)] scaffolds at two different densities: low density (1 × 10⁶ cells/scaffold) or high density (2 × 10⁶ cells/scaffold) using spinner modified flasks and examined after 1 and 3 weeks. Initial attachment and spread of BMSC onto the scaffolds was recorded by scanning electron microscopy. Cell proliferation was assessed by DNA quantification and cell differentiation by quantitative real‐time reverse transcriptase‐polymerized chain reaction analysis (qRT‐PCR). Five‐millimeter rat calvarial defects (24 defects in 12 rats) were implanted with scaffolds seeded with either low or high density expanded with or without osteogenic supplements. Osteogenic supplements significantly increased cell proliferation (p < 0.001). Scaffolds seeded at high cell density exhibited higher mRNA expressions of Runx2 p = 0.001, Col1 p = 0.001, BMP2 p < 0.001, BSP p < 0.001, and OC p = 0.013. More bone was formed in response to high cell seeding density (p = 0.023) and high seeding density with osteogenic medium (p = 0.038). Poly (LLA‐co‐CL) scaffolds could be appropriate candidates for bone TE. The optimal number of cells to be loaded onto scaffolds is critical for promoting Extracellular matrix synthesis and bone formation. Cell seeding density and osteogenic supplements may have a synergistic effect on the induction of new bone. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 103A: 3649–3658, 2015.

Nanodiamonds: The intersection of nanotechnology, drug development, and personalized medicine

The implementation of nanomedicine in cellular, preclinical, and clinical studies has led to exciting advances ranging from fundamental to translational, particularly in the field of cancer. Many of the current barriers in cancer treatment are being successfully addressed using nanotechnology-modified compounds. These barriers include drug resistance leading to suboptimal intratumoral retention, poor circulation times resulting in decreased efficacy, and off-target toxicity, among others. The first clinical nanomedicine advances to overcome these issues were based on monotherapy, where small-molecule and nucleic acid delivery demonstrated substantial improvements over unmodified drug administration. Recent preclinical studies have shown that combination nanotherapies, composed of either multiple classes of nanomaterials or a single nanoplatform functionalized with several therapeutic agents, can image and treat tumors with improved efficacy over single-compound delivery. Among the many promising nanomaterials that are being developed, nanodiamonds have received increasing attention because of the unique chemical-mechanical properties on their faceted surfaces. More recently, nanodiamond-based drug delivery has been included in the rational and systematic design of optimal therapeutic combinations using an implicitly de-risked drug development platform technology, termed Phenotypic Personalized Medicine-Drug Development (PPM-DD). The application of PPM-DD to rapidly identify globally optimized drug combinations successfully addressed a pervasive challenge confronting all aspects of drug development, both nano and non-nano. This review will examine various nanomaterials and the use of PPM-DD to optimize the efficacy and safety of current and future cancer treatment. How this platform can accelerate combinatorial nanomedicine and the broader pharmaceutical industry toward unprecedented clinical impact will also be discussed.

Nanoparticle Adhesion and Mobility in Thin Layers: Nanodiamonds As a Model

Small size and enhanced properties of nanoparticles (NP) are great advantages toward device miniaturization. However, adhesion is essential for the reliability of such NP layer-based devices. In this work, we present some quick tests to investigate the adhesion behavior of the whole NP layer by mimicking several applicative environments: biological buffers and cells, corrosion, and microfabrication processes. This statistic approach evaluates both adhesion and mobility respectively through particle density and layer homogeneity. We chose nanodiamonds (ND) as reference particles because they are spherical and inert and exhibit either positive or negative zeta potential for the same diameter while surfactant-free. Several deposition methods were used to prepare a wide range of ND layers with various densities and size distribution. We found some unexpected results confirming that the deposition method has to be carefully selected according to the targeted application. A selection of the suitable method(s) to prepare ND layers which are resilient in their applicative environment can be done based on these results. However, ND adhesion still remains critical in some conditions and thus requires further improvement. Most important, this study points out that NP adhesion behavior is more complex than simple particle detachment-or not-from the surface. The particles could also reorganize themselves in clusters. We evidenced, in particular, a surprising mobility driven by air/water interfaces during evaporation of water microdroplets. Further comparison with other materials would indicate if the highlighted phenomena could be extended to any nanoparticles layer.

Smart scaffolds in bone tissue engineering: A systematic review of literature

AIM: To improve osteogenic differentiation and attachment of cells.

METHODS: An electronic search was conducted in PubMed from January 2004 to December 2013. Studies which performed smart modifications on conventional bone scaffold materials were included. Scaffolds with controlled release or encapsulation of bioactive molecules were not included. Experiments which did not investigate response of cells toward the scaffold (cell attachment, proliferation or osteoblastic differentiation) were excluded.

RESULTS: Among 1458 studies, 38 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The main scaffold varied extensively among the included studies. Smart modifications included addition of growth factors (group I-11 studies), extracellular matrix-like molecules (group II-13 studies) and nanoparticles (nano-HA) (group III-17 studies). In all groups, surface coating was the most commonly applied approach for smart modification of scaffolds. In group I, bone morphogenetic proteins were mainly used as growth factor stabilized on polycaprolactone (PCL). In group II, collagen 1 in combination with PCL, hydroxyapatite (HA) and tricalcium phosphate were the most frequent scaffolds used. In the third group, nano-HA with PCL and chitosan were used the most. As variable methods were used, a thorough and comprehensible compare between the results and approaches was unattainable.

CONCLUSION: Regarding the variability in methodology of these in vitro studies it was demonstrated that smart modification of scaffolds can improve tissue properties.

Detonation nanodiamonds biofunctionalization and immobilization to titanium alloy surfaces as first steps towards medical application

Due to their outstanding properties nanodiamonds are a promising nanoscale material in various applications such as microelectronics, polishing, optical monitoring, medicine and biotechnology. Beyond the typical diamond characteristics like extreme hardness or high thermal conductivity, they have additional benefits as intrinsic fluorescence due to lattice defects without photobleaching, obtained during the high pressure high temperature process. Further the carbon surface and its various functional groups in consequence of the synthesis, facilitate additional chemical and biological modification. In this work we present our recent results on chemical modification of the nanodiamond surface with phosphate groups and their electrochemically assisted immobilization on titanium-based materials to increase adhesion at biomaterial surfaces. The starting material is detonation nanodiamond, which exhibits a heterogeneous surface due to the functional groups resulting from the nitrogen-rich explosives and the subsequent purification steps after detonation synthesis. Nanodiamond surfaces are chemically homogenized before proceeding with further functionalization. Suspensions of resulting surface-modified nanodiamonds are applied to the titanium alloy surfaces and the nanodiamonds subsequently fixed by electrochemical immobilization. Titanium and its alloys have been widely used in bone and dental implants for being a metal that is biocompatible with body tissues and able to bind with adjacent bone during healing. In order to improve titanium material properties towards biomedical applications the authors aim to increase adhesion to bone material by incorporating nanodiamonds into the implant surface, namely the anodically grown titanium dioxide layer. Differently functionalized nanodiamonds are characterized by infrared spectroscopy and the modified titanium alloys surfaces by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The process described shows an adsorption and immobilization of modified nanodiamonds on titanium; where aminosilanized nanodiamonds coupled with O-phosphorylethanolamine show a homogeneous interaction with the titanium substrate.

Release and bioactivity of bone morphogenetic protein-2 are affected by scaffold binding techniques in vitro and in vivo

A low dose of 1μg rhBMP-2 was immobilised by four different functionalising techniques on recently developed poly(l-lactide)-co-(ε-caprolactone) [(poly(LLA-co-CL)] scaffolds. It was either (i) physisorbed on unmodified scaffolds [PHY], (ii) physisorbed onto scaffolds modified with nanodiamond particles [nDP-PHY], (iii) covalently linked onto nDPs that were used to modify the scaffolds [nDP-COV] or (iv) encapsulated in microspheres distributed on the scaffolds [MICS]. Release kinetics of BMP-2 from the different scaffolds was quantified using targeted mass spectrometry for up to 70days. PHY scaffolds had an initial burst of release while MICS showed a gradual and sustained increase in release. In contrast, NDP-PHY and nDP-COV scaffolds showed no significant release, although nDP-PHY scaffolds maintained bioactivity of BMP-2. Human mesenchymal stem cells cultured in vitro showed upregulated BMP-2 and osteocalcin gene expression at both week 1 and week 3 in the MICS and nDP-PHY scaffold groups. These groups also demonstrated the highest BMP-2 extracellular protein levels as assessed by ELISA, and mineralization confirmed by Alizarin red. Cells grown on the PHY scaffolds in vitro expressed collagen type 1 alpha 2 early but the scaffold could not sustain rhBMP-2 release to express mineralization. After 4weeks post-implantation using a rat mandible critical-sized defect model, micro-CT and Masson trichrome results showed accelerated bone regeneration in the PHY, nDP-PHY and MICS groups. The results demonstrate that PHY scaffolds may not be desirable for clinical use, since similar osteogenic potential was not seen under both in vitro and in vivo conditions, in contrast to nDP-PHY and MICS groups, where continuous low doses of BMP-2 induced satisfactory bone regeneration in both conditions. The nDP-PHY scaffolds used here in critical-sized bone defects for the first time appear to have promise compared to growth factors adsorbed onto a polymer alone and the short distance effect prevents adverse systemic side effects.

Comprehensive interrogation of the cellular response to fluorescent, detonation and functionalized nanodiamonds

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are versatile nanoparticles that are currently being investigated for a variety of applications in drug delivery, biomedical imaging and nanoscale sensing. Although initial studies indicate that these small gems are biocompatible, there is a great deal of variability in synthesis methods and surface functionalization that has yet to be evaluated. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of the cellular compatibility of an array of nanodiamond subtypes and surface functionalization strategies. These results demonstrate that NDs are well tolerated by multiple cell types at both functional and gene expression levels. In addition, ND-mediated delivery of daunorubicin is less toxic to multiple cell types than treatment with daunorubicin alone, thus demonstrating the ability of the ND agent to improve drug tolerance and decrease therapeutic toxicity. Overall, the results here indicate that ND biocompatibility serves as a promising foundation for continued preclinical investigation.

Short one-pot chemo-enzymatic synthesis of L-lysine and L-alanine diblock co-oligopeptides

Amphiphilic diblock co-oligopeptides are interesting and functional macromolecular materials for biomedical applications because of their self-assembling properties. Here, we developed a synthesis method for diblock co-oligopeptides by using chemo-enzymatic polymerization, which was a relatively short (30 min) and efficient reaction (over 40% yield). Block and random oligo(L-lysine-co-L-alanine) [oligo(Lys-co-Ala)] were synthesized using activated papain as enzymatic catalyst. The reaction time was optimized according to kinetic studies of oligo(L-alanine) and oligo(L-lysine). Using (1)H NMR spectroscopy and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, we confirmed that diblock and random co-oligopeptides were synthesized. Optical microscopy further revealed differences in the crystalline morphology between random and block co-oligopeptides. Plate-like, hexagonal, and hollow crystals were formed due to the strong impact of the monomer distribution and pH of the solution. The different crystalline structures open up interesting possibilities to form materials for both tissue engineering and controlled drug/gene delivery systems.