Introduction
Chitosan (CS) materials are biodegradable, biocompatible, and can exhibit antimicrobial, hemostatic, and antioxidant properties [1].
Functionalization of chitosan with quaternary ammonium groups (QCS) is beneficial for improving its properties, such as its mucoadhesiveness and bioadhesiveness, and its antimicrobial, anticoagulant, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties, making chitosan more suitable for tissue engineering and transdermal drug delivery [2-3].
Methods
CS/QCS binary fibers were prepared by electrospinning using poly(ethyleneoxide) as a co-spinning agent, followed by its selective removal from the mats.
The composition, morphology, and properties of CS/QCS fibers were investigated, and biocompatible fibers with an optimal CS/QCS ratio that led to a progressive biodegradation rate were investigated in wound healing experiments.
Results
The presence of the two biopolymers in binary fibers, CS and QCS, was confirmed by FTIR and 1H-NMR spectroscopy.
Enzymatic degradation, monitored in lysozyme solution in PBS (pH=7.4) for 7 days, showed an increase in the rate of biodegradation along with increasing QCS content.
The presence of QCS in the fibers endowed them with strong antimicrobial activity, especially against Gram-negative bacteria.
Tests on normal human fibroblasts have shown that the fibers can be safely used as medical devices.
Subcutaneous implantation of fibers in Wistar rats did not affect biochemical parameters, indicating their potential for safe in vivo use.
CS/QCS fibers in wound healing experiments proved that there was total closure and active healing of second-/third-degree burn wounds in rats.
Conclusion
All these findings indicate their potential to function as effective bioresorbable dressings.
[1] Z. Guo; R. Xing, S. Jiu, Z. Zhong, X. Ji, L. Wang; P. Li, Carbohydr Res , 342(10) (2007) 1329–1332.
[2] S. Guo, Y. Ren, R. Chang, Y. He, D. Zhang, F. Guan, M. Yao, ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 14 (2022) 34455–34469
[3] B.-I. Andreica, X. Cheng, L. Marin, Eur Polym J 139 (2020) 110016
Acknowledgments: H2020-MSCA-RISE-2019: SmartWoundMonitoringRestorativeDressings (SWORD) (no. 873123)
