Drug-chitosan complexes added to optical contact lenses based on bacterial cellulose: cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and mutagenicity evaluations

• Grant number: 12/00527-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2012
• Effective date (End): November 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Human and Medical Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Ticiana Sidorenko de Oliveira Capote
• Grantee: Guilherme Vinícius do Vale Braido
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia (FOAr). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project is part of a larger research project ever awarded by the Regular Research Grants FAPESP (Process 2011/11810-8). In the last years, biotechnology has advanced in the development of biomaterials for tissue regeneration and for their utilization as medical devices. In this context, reabsorbed membranes have shown promising results in tissue regeneration that can be used in the healing of skin wounds, grafts, drug delivery systems, and tissue engineering. The Institute of Chemistry at Araraquara - IQ UNESP has developed composites based on bacterial cellulose (BC) for utilization as contact lenses (patent deposited). During the preparation of the lenses are incorporated chitosan nanoparticles in order to increase their transparency of it. Drugs like ciprofloxacin and sodium diclofenac were incorporated into these contact lenses to improve their therapeutic properties. However, in order to ensure the safe use of these composites by the medical device industry, it is necessary to evaluate whether they have cytotoxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic activities. This important partnership among researchers from the IQ, FOAr (Araraquara - UNESP), and the University of São Paulo (USP) will evaluate the cytotoxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic potential of these biomaterials. Besides cytotoxicity, it is very important to evaluate the genotoxic and mutagenic potential of these biomaterials, because, if the biomaterials provide such risks, they can induce cellular modifications in the surrounding tissue, with possible progression to tumor formation (carcinogenesis). In vitro tests will be performed to verify if the materials have cytotoxic (TXT and clonogenic survival tests), genotoxic (comet), and mutagenic (micronucleus) potentials. Statistical analysis will be used to assess whether the biomaterials are cytotoxic, genotoxic, and/or mutagenic. This information is essential for the safe release of the biomaterial in future employment in the medical device industry.(AU)