Nanoskin: use for restoring volume in the anophthalmic cavity and to repair superficial and deep skin wounds

• Grant number: 11/21437-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: April 01, 2012
• End date: March 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Silvana Artioli Schellini
• Grantee: Silvana Artioli Schellini
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FMB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Nanoskin is a cellulose produced from sugar cane by a Gram-negative bacterium. This proposal is intended to apply Nanoskin experimentally in two different studies, with the purpose of to evaluate the biocompatibility of the material for possible application in the repair of extensive wounds and for to restore volume in the anophthalmic cavities. The authors emphasize the importance of reaching to the development of a material that can reach the market, with national technology and with reasonable prices.Study 1: will be used 24 rabbits that will have the right eye eviscerated (G1) or enucleated (G2), with replacement of lost volume using 10 mm spheres of Nanoskin. The control group (G3) will be composed by animals from preliminary study in which were implanted porous polyethylene spheres (Schellini et al., 2005). The animals will be euthanized at 7, 90 and 180 days after the initial surgery. The biocompatibility of the spheres will be studied by daily clinical examination, histological evaluation and morphometric analysis of the tissue reaction. Data will be submit to statistical analysis.Study 2: we will use 40 guinea pigs, which will have removed a fragment of skin and subcutaneous tissue of the median dorsal region, measuring 2 cm X 4 cm. The animals will be allocated in two groups: G1 in which the wound produced will be repaired in the cranial portion by skin graft from the animal itself and on the caudal portion, repaired by fragment of Nanoskin; G2, when the cranial wound will be repaired by skin fragment from the animal itself and the caudal portion with Nanoskin coated with gelatin. Both groups will have a fragment of Nanoskin without coating (G1) or coated with gelatin (G2) implanted in the subcutaneous tissue adjacent to the cranial portion. Five animals per group will be sacrificed 7, 30, 90 and 180 days after the surgery. Will be performed clinical exam and morphometry of photographic documentation, histological examination and morphometric exam and transmission electron microscopy. Statistical analysis will be performed. (AU)