RESUMEN
Biodegradable polymers of natural origin are ideal for the development of processes in tissue engineering due to their immunogenic potential and ability to interact with living tissues. However, some synthetic polymers have been developed in recent years for use in tissue engineering, such as Poly-ε-caprolactone. The nanotechnology and the electrospinning process are perceived to produce biomaterials in the form of nanofibers with diverse unique properties. Biocompatibility tests of poly-ε-caprolactone nanofibers embedded with hydroxyapatite and alumina nanoparticles manufactured by means of the electrospinning technique were carried out in Wistar rats to be used as oral dressings. Hydroxyapatite as a material is used because of its great compatibility, bioactivity, and osteoconductive properties. The PCL, PCL-HA, PCL-α-Al2O3, and PCL-HA-α-Al2O3 nanofibers obtained in the process were characterized by infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The nanofibers had an average diameter of (840 ± 230) nm. The nanofiber implants were placed and tested at 2, 4, and 6 weeks in the subcutaneous tissue of the rats to give a chronic inflammatory infiltrate, characteristic foreign body reaction, which decreased slightly at 6 weeks with the addition of hydroxyapatite and alumina ceramic particles. The biocompatibility test showed a foreign body reaction that produces a layer of collagen and fibroblasts. Tissue loss and necrosis were not observed due to the coating of the material, but a slight decrease in the inflammatory infiltrate occurred in the last evaluation period, which is indicative of the beginning of the acceptance of the tested materials by the organism.
RESUMEN
Currently, nanotechnology is perceived as a promising science that produces materials with diverse unique properties at a nanometric scale. Biocompatibility tests of poly-ε-caprolactone nanofibers, embedded with silver nanoparticles manufactured by means of the electrospinning technique, were carried out in Wistar rats to be used as oral dressings for the eradication of bacteria. Solutions of 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 mM of silver nitrate were made using N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) as reducing solvents with 8% of poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) polymer. The solutions were electrospun, and the nanofibers obtained in the process were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, dark field optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray scattering spectroscopy. The nanofibers had an average diameter of 400 ± 100 nm. Once the characterization of the material was done, three implants of each concentration of the nanofibers were formed and placed in the subcutaneous tissue of the rats. Three experimental subjects were used, leaving the material in them for a length of two, four and six weeks, respectively. The rats showed good healing, with the lesions completely healed at four weeks after implantation. After that time, biopsies were taken, and histopathological sections were made to evaluate the inflammatory infiltrate. The tissues of the rats presented chronic inflammatory infiltrate composed mainly of lymphocytes and giant multinucleated cells. The material was rejected by the rats when a layer of collagen and fibroblasts was produced, coating the material, a process characteristic of a foreign body reaction.
