title: In vitro biocompatibility and antibacterial efficacy of a degradable poly(L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone) copolymer incorporated with silver nanoparticles.
abstract: Silver nanoparticles (Ag-nps) are currently used as a natural biocide to prevent undesired bacterial growth in clothing, cosmetics and medical products. The objective of the study was to impart antibacterial properties through the incorporation of Ag-nps at increasing concentrations to electrospun degradable 50:50 poly(L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone) scaffolds for skin tissue engineering applications. The biocompatibility of the scaffolds containing Ag-nps was evaluated with human epidermal keratinocytes (HEK); cell viability and proliferation were evaluated using Live/Dead and alamarBlue viability assays following 7 and 14 days of cell culture on the scaffolds. Significant decreases in cell viability and proliferation were noted for the 1.0 mg(Ag) g(scaffold)(-1) after 7 and 14 days on Ag-nps scaffolds. After 14 days, scanning electron microscopy revealed a confluent layer of HEK on the surface of the 0.0 and 0.1 mg(Ag) g(scaffold)(-1). Both 0.5 and 1.0 mg(Ag) g(scaffold)(-1) were capable of inhibiting both Gram positive and negative bacterial strains. Uniaxial tensile tests revealed a significant (p < 0.001) decrease in the modulus of elasticity following Ag-nps incorporation compared to control. These findings suggest that a scaffold containing between 0.5 and 1.0 mg(Ag) g(scaffold)(-1) is both biocompatible and antibacterial, and is suitable for skin tissue engineering graft scaffolds.
authors.affiliation: Center for Chemical Toxicology Research and Pharmacokinetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Meghan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Samberg
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mente
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Martin W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Nancy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Monteiro-Riviere
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D063566:Biodegradable Plastics / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008422:Materials Testing; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D063566:Biodegradable Plastics; D011091:Polyesters; D012834:Silver; C062968:lactide-caprolactone copolymer