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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Polycaprolactone fibers with self-assembled peptide micro/nanotubes: a practical route towards enhanced mechanical strength and drug delivery applications

Full text
Author(s):
Liberato, M. S. [1] ; Kogikoski, Jr., S. [1] ; da Silva, E. R. [1] ; de Araujo, D. R. [1] ; Guha, S. [2] ; Alves, W. A. [1]
Total Authors: 6
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Fed ABC, Ctr Ciencias Nat & Humanas, BR-09210580 Santo Andre, SP - Brazil
[2] Univ Missouri, Dept Phys & Astron, Columbia, MO 65211 - USA
Total Affiliations: 2
Document type: Journal article
Source: JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B; v. 4, n. 8, p. 1405-1413, 2016.
Web of Science Citations: 15
Abstract

Peptide-based scaffolds are a frontier research area in materials science with widespread impact in biomedical engineering. In this paper, we describe a hybrid material formulated through the conjugation of electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers and micro/nanotubes of L,L-diphenylalanine (FF-MNTs). Morphology and crystallinity of the composite matrices are investigated using a wide range of analytical techniques including electron microscopy, thermal analyses, X-ray diffraction and micro-tomography. Peptide assemblies are found to produce deep modifications on the microstructure of PCL fibers, impacting average diameters, crystallinity degree and porous size in the polymer network. These changes are correlated with mechanical properties of the resulting scaffolds, whose strength is found to exhibit a brittle-to-ductile transition upon increasing the amount of FF-MNTs and lead to enhanced Young's moduli of polymer fibers. The PCL/FF-MNTs composites were tested for the drug delivery application of a lipophilic drug, benzocaine. In vitro permeation studies have shown that these polymer/peptide hybrids are able to produce a steady release of benzocaine over periods of up to similar to 13 hours, much higher than commercially available gel formulations. Enzymatic tests have shown a significant increment in biodegradation rates in PCL/FF-MNTs hybrids containing higher peptide amounts, which exhibited almost 100% weight loss against only 10% found in pure PCL. Our findings indicate that using PCL/FF-MNTs materials is a simple route towards achieving enhanced mechanical strength of PCL networks that have the ability to promote controlled drug delivery from a completely biodegradable matrix. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 12/15481-1 - Functional polymer matrices prepared by electrospinning: Studies of structural properties and biodegradation processes
Grantee:Michelle da Silva Liberato
Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
FAPESP's process: 13/12674-6 - Structural investigations on model systems based on amphiphilic peptides
Grantee:Emerson Rodrigo da Silva
Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
FAPESP's process: 12/01933-8 - Biomimetic electrospun matrixes: possible application in NO detection
Grantee:Sergio Kogikoski Junior
Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
FAPESP's process: 08/57805-2 - Institute of Bioanalytics
Grantee:Lauro Tatsuo Kubota
Support type: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
FAPESP's process: 13/12997-0 - Hierarchical self-organization of peptide amphiphiles: fundamental mechanisms and potential applications
Grantee:Wendel Andrade Alves
Support type: Regular Research Grants