Biocompatible and Antibacterial Nitric Oxide-Releasing Pluronic F-127/Chitosan Hydrogel for Topical Applications

Author(s)

Pelegrino, Milena T. ^{[1, 2]} ; Lima, Bruna de Araujo ^[3] ; do Nascimento, Monica H. M. ^{[2, 3]} ; Lombello, Christiane B. ^{[1, 4]} ; Brocchi, Marcelo ^[3] ; Seabra, Amedea B. ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed ABC, Ctr Nat & Human Sci, Av Estados 5001, BR-09210580 Santo Andre, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed ABC, Nanomed Res Unit NANOMED, Av Estados 5001, BR-09210580 Santo Andre, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Biol, Trop Dis Lab, Dept Genet Evolut Microbiol & Immunol, BR-13083862 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed ABC, Ctr Engn Modeling & Appl Social Sci, Alameda Univ Sem, BR-09606045 Sao Bernardo Do Campo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: POLYMERS; v. 10, n. 4 APR 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 7

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) is involved in physiological processes, including vasodilatation, wound healing and antibacterial activities. As NO is a free radical, designing drugs to generate therapeutic amounts of NO in controlled spatial and time manners is still a challenge. In this study, the NO donor S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) was incorporated into the thermoresponsive Pluronic F-127 (PL)-chitosan (CS) hydrogel, with an easy and economically feasible methodology. CS is a polysaccharide with known antimicrobial properties. Scanning electron microscopy, rheology and differential scanning calorimetry techniques were used for hydrogel characterization. The results demonstrated that the hydrogel has a smooth surface, thermoresponsive behavior and good mechanical stability. The kinetics of NO release and GSNO diffusion from GSNO-containing PL/CS hydrogel demonstrated a sustained NO/GSNO release, in concentrations suitable for biomedical applications. The GSNO-PL/CS hydrogel demonstrated a concentration-dependent toxicity to Vero cells, and antimicrobial activity to Pseudomonas aeruginosa (minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values of 0.5 mu g.mL(-1) of hydrogel, which corresponds to 1 mmol.L-1 of GSNO). Interestingly, the concentration range in which the NO-releasing hydrogel demonstrated an antibacterial effect was not found to be toxic to the Vero mammalian cell. Thus, the GSNO-PL/CS hydrogel is a suitable biomaterial for topical NO delivery applications. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/10347-6 - S-nitrosothiol containing nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization, cytotoxicity and applications
• Grantee: Amedea Barozzi Seabra
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/05029-8 - Preparation, characterization and biological evaluation of nitric oxide releasing polymeric biomaterials
• Grantee: Milena Trevisan Pelegrino
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate