Biocompatibility of nanocomposites used for artificial conjunctiva: in vivo experiments.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the biocompatibility of nanocomposites used for artificial conjunctiva.


METHODS
Fifty New Zealand white rabbits were used for the experiments. Nanocomposites of poly -caprolactone (PCL) and of PCL coated with polyvinyl alcohol (PCL+PVA), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PCL+PVP), or chitosan (PCL+C), and amniotic membrane (AM) as a control, were cut into small disks with a diameter of 3.5 mm. The disks were inserted underneath the conjunctiva to measure their inflammation-inducing properties. To investigate epithelial adhesion and goblet cell differentiation, the disks were transplanted after round conjunctival excision. Cultivated conjunctival epithelial cells on nanocomposite were then transplanted onto the abdomen of Balb/c athymic mice. The number of inflammatory cells and the density of goblet cells were measured using hematoxylin and eosin, periodic-acid-Schiff, and immunohistochemistry after 2 weeks.


RESULTS
The number of inflammatory cells found inside of the inserts was as follows: 21 +/- 4.9 for controls, 21 +/- 15.1 for PCL, 49.6 +/- 26.0 for PCL+PVP, 40.2 +/- 17.1 for PCL+C, and 13.8 +/- 3.9 for PCL+PVA. In PCL+PVA, the accumulation of inflammatory cells was significantly lower than in the controls (p < 0.01, Mann-Whitney U). The reepithelialization of conjunctival cells was accomplished in more than 75% of all disks except for the PCL+C. In addition, we found the differentiation of goblet cells in the following order from greatest to least: amniotic membrane, PCL, and PCL+PVP.


CONCLUSIONS
Nanocomposites of PCL were biocompatible in rabbit conjunctiva, suggesting that PCL may be considered as a candidate for use in the development of artificial conjunctiva.
Shin
Young Joo
YJ
Department of Ophthalmology, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Donnguk University International Hospital. Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
Lee
Hun Il
HI
Kim
Mee Kum
MK
Wee
Won Ryang
WR
Lee
Jin Hak
JH
Koh
Jeong Hwa
JH
Lee
Hyun Joo
HJ
Lee
Jae Lim
JL
Min
Byung Moo
BM
Sohn
Young Suk
YS
Kim
Hak-Yong
HY
D000818:Animals; D001187:Artificial Organs; D002208:Caproates; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D048271:Chitosan; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000166:cytology / Q000601:surgery*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation; D005260:Female; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000166:cytology; D007783:Lactones; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D053761:Nanocomposites; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol; D011205:Povidone; D011817:Rabbits
D002208:Caproates; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D007783:Lactones; C121056:caprolactone; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol; D048271:Chitosan; D011205:Povidone