The Preparation and Biological Testing of Novel Wound Dressings with an Encapsulated Antibacterial and Antioxidant Substance.

Chronic wounds represent a significant socio-economic problem, and the improvement of their healing is therefore an essential issue. This paper describes the preparation and biological properties of a novel functionalized nanofiber wound dressing consisting of a polycaprolactone nanofiber carrier modified by a drug delivery system, based on the lipid particles formed by 1-tetradecanol and encapsulated gentamicin and tocopherol acetate. The cytotoxicity of extracts was tested using a metabolic activity assay, and the antibacterial properties of the extracts were tested in vitro on the bacterial strains Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The effect of the wound dressing on chronic wound healing was subsequently tested using a mouse model. Fourteen days after surgery, the groups treated by the examined wound cover showed a lower granulation, reepithelization, and inflammation score compared to both the uninfected groups, a lower dermis organization compared to the control, a higher scar thickness compared to the other groups, and a higher thickness of hypodermis and bacteria score compared to both the uninfected groups. This work demonstrates the basic parameters of the safety (biocompatibility) and performance (effect on healing) of the dressing as a medical device and indicates the feasibility of the concept of its preparation in outpatient conditions using a suitable functionalization device.

Cultivation of human keratinocytes without feeder cells on polymer carriers containing ethoxyethyl methacrylate: in vitro study.

The cell/tissue engineering therapy of extensive or chronic skin wounds is a highly topical task of the contemporary medicine. One of possible therapeutic approaches is grafting of in vitro cultured keratinocytes directly to the wound bed, where the cells colonize the wound, proliferate and improve the re-epithelization process. Because the successful cultivation of keratinocytes needs an application of feeder cells, the exclusion of these cells from the cultivation system is highly required. In this study we show a positive influence of 2-ethoxyethyl methacrylate as a component of cultivation support on growth of keratinocytes without feeder cells. Keratinocytes cultured on these surfaces are able to migrate to the model wound bed in vitro, where they form distinct colonies and have a normal differentiation potential.