Preparation by solution blow spinning and characterization of bio- compatible multifunctional thermoplastic materials constituted by submicrometric fibers (LEISHMAFIBER)

PROYECTOS COORDINADOS DE I+D+i. “RETOS INVESTIGACIÓN” 2020. Ref: PID2020-112713RB-C22 . MICIU: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU); Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI: 10.13039/501100011033)

• Abstract
• Project Details
• Objectives
• Results
• Workshops and Meetings

LEISHMAFIBER (AEI: 10.13039/501100011033)

ABSTRACT

The treatment of wounds produced by infectious agents (bacteria, fungi, viruses or parasites), and those derived from surgical interventions, burns and abrasions, represents a challenge in medicine and a burden to the health systems. LEISHMAFIBER is a multi and interdisciplinary approach to address this challenge. The ultimate objective is to develop a multifunctional material formed by polymeric microfibers that is sprayed directly on a wound (sprayable wound dressing) capable of releasing drugs to the damaged tissue in a controlled way.

The project is a joint proposal comprising two subprojects by research groups of the Universidad de Navarra, UN (SUMBET and ISTUN) and the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, UC3M (GMCPI), bringing together different backgrounds and expertise: Materials Science and Engineering, Colloid Chemistry and Microbiology and Parasitology. The UN group has over two decades of experience in the investigation on drug-carrier interactions and drug release from polymeric matrices (SUMBET), and in drug discovery and biological evaluation of drugs for the treatment of leishmaniasis and other infections causing skin alterations (ISTUN). The UC3M group has ample expertise in materials characterization, nanocomposite materials and in the production of polymeric fibers by solution blow spinning (SBS), an essential technique for the project objectives. The development of multifunctional sprayable wound dressings involves the intertwining of objectives and tasks between the participant groups: SP1-SUMBET will investigate the conditions under which selected antimicrobials, used for the treatment of cutaneous infections, and miltefosine (an antiprotozoal drug orally administered for the treatment of the cutaneous leishmaniasis), will be combined with different polymers and solvents for its application by SBS, performing an exhaustive physicochemical investigation on the interactions drugpolymer, the structures formed in different solvents, and the release of the drugs incorporated to blow spun fibers of different compositions and morphologies. SP2-GMCPI will undertake the optimization of the experimental conditions of the SBS process to produce wound dressings formed by micrometric and sub-micrometric fibers with different morphologies (unstructured, core-shell, with preferential orientation), as well as the stability of the blow spun dressings under normal conditions of use. SP1-ISTUN will accomplish the evaluation of the biological activity of the drug-loaded fibers, both in vitro as in vivo. The assessment of the antileishmanial activity of the fibers loaded with miltefosine will be investigated in Leishmania and in murine macrophages, as well as the microbicidal activity of the dressings containing the antimicrobial drugs. In vivo assays will be carried out on lesions produced in infected mice, which will bring valuable information on the genes involved in the activity of the drug and its ability to modulate the host immunity. According to the objectives pursued in this proposal, LEISHMAFIBER addresses Challenge VIII (Development of nanomedicine: new therapeutic forms of drug release) and Challenge VI (Rare and neurodegenerative diseases) of the Programa Retos de la Sociedad.

PROJECT DETAILS

OBJECTIVES

The ultimate objective of the coordinated project is the preparation of sprayable multifunctional polymer based materials, as obtained by solution blow spinning, for the treatment of cutaneous infections. This fundamental objective is broken down into three general objectives (GO), which will be accomplished by the coordination of the two subprojects (UN-SP1 and UC3M-SP2) in an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach, as follows:

GO1: To establish the conditions under which selected drugs, used for the treatment of cutaneous infections, will be combined with different polymers and solvents to be sprayed in the form of fibers by solution blow spinning (SBS) and their release capacity.

GO2: To evaluate the biological activity of the drug-loaded fibers, both in vitro as in vivo, produced in the form of dressings by SBS.

GO3: To optimize the experimental conditions of the SBS process to produce different morphologies of micrometric and sub-micrometric drug-loaded fibers in the form of wound dressings.

RESULTS

Nataša Nikolic, Dania Olmos and Javier González-Benito. Key Advances in Solution Blow Spinning of Polylactic-Acid-Based Materials: A Prospective Study on Uses and Future Application. Polymers, 16, 3044 (2024). (https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16213044).

Ana Kramar, Javier González-Benito, Nataša Nikolić & Erlantz Lizundia. All-cellulose nanocomposite films based on cellulose acetate and cellulose biocolloids by solution blow spinning. Cellulose, 31, 9111 (2024). (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-024-06153-8).

Ana Kramar, Javier Gonzalez-Benito, Nataša Nikolić, Aitor Larranaga, Erlantz Lizundia. Properties and environmental sustainability of fungal chitin nanofibril reinforced cellulose acetate films and nanofiber mats by solution blow spinning. Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 269, 132046 (2024). (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132046).

Javier González-Benito, Stephania Zuñiga-Prado, Julian Najera and Dania Olmos. Non-Woven Fibrous Polylactic Acid/Hydroxyapatite Nanocomposites Obtained via Solution Blow Spinning: Morphology, Thermal and Mechanical Behavior. Nanomaterials, 14, 196 (2024). (https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14020196).

Nataša Nikolić, Dania Olmos, Ana Kramar, Javier González-Benito. Effect of Collector Rotational Speed on the Morphology and Structure of Solution Blow Spun Polylactic Acid (PLA). Polymers, 16, 191 (2024). (https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16020191)

Workshops and Meetings