This study addresses the need for enhanced antimicrobial properties of electrospun membranes, either through surface modifications or the incorporation of antimicrobial agents, which are crucial for improved clinical outcomes. In this context, chitosan—a biopolymer lauded for its biocompatibility and extracellular matrix-mimicking properties—emerges as an excellent candidate for tissue regeneration. However, fabricating chitosan nanofibers via electrospinning often challenges the preservation of their structural integrity. This research innovatively develops a chitosan/polycaprolactone (CH/PCL) composite nanofibrous membrane by employing a layer-by-layer electrospinning technique, enhanced with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized through a wet chemical process. The antibacterial efficacy, adhesive properties, and cytotoxicity of electrospun chitosan membranes were evaluated, while also analyzing their hydrophilicity and nanofibrous structure using SEM. The resulting CH/PCL-AgNPs composite membranes retain a porous framework, achieve balanced hydrophilicity, display commendable biocompatibility, and exert broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, with their efficacy correlating to the AgNP concentration. Furthermore, our data suggest that the antimicrobial efficiency of these membranes is influenced by the timed release of silver ions during the incubation period. Membranes incorporated starting with AgNPs at a concentration of 50 µg/mL effectively suppressed the growth of both microorganisms during the early stages up to 8 h of incubation. These insights underscore the potential of the developed electrospun composite membranes, with their superior antibacterial qualities, to serve as innovative solutions in the field of tissue engineering.

The present study demonstrates a strategy for preparing porous composite fibrous materials with superior biocompatibility and antibacterial performance. The findings reveal that the incorporation of PEG into the spinning solutions significantly influences the fiber diameters, morphology, and porous area fraction. The addition of a hydrophilic homopolymer, PEG, into the Ch/PLA spinning solution enhances the hydrophilicity of the resulting materials. The hybrid fibrous materials, comprising Ch modified with PLA and PEG as a co-solvent, along with post-treatment to improve water stability, exhibit a slower rate of degradation (stable, moderate weight loss over 16 weeks) and reduced hydrophobicity (lower contact angle, reaching 21.95 ± 2.17°), rendering them promising for biomedical applications. The antibacterial activity of the membranes is evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with PEG-containing samples showing a twofold increase in bacterial reduction rate. In vitro cell culture studies demonstrated that PEG-containing materials promote uniform cell attachment, comparable to PEG-free nanofibers. The comprehensive evaluation of these novel materials, which exhibit improved physical, chemical, and biological properties, highlights their potential for biomedical applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

In a present paper, we demonstrate novel approach to form ceramic coatings with incorporated ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) on low modulus TiZrNb alloy with enhanced biocompatibility and antibacterial parameters. Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) was used to integrate ZnO nanoparticles (average size 12–27 nm), mixed with Ca(H₂PO₂)₂ aqueous solution into low modulus TiZrNb alloy surface. The TiZrNb alloys with integrated ZnO NPs successfully showed higher surface porosity and contact angle. XPS investigations showed presence of Ca ions and absence of phosphate ions in the PEO modified layer, what explains higher values of contact angle. Cell culture experiment (U2OS type) confirmed that the surface of as formed oxide-ZnO NPs demonstrated hydrophobic properties, what can affect primary cell attachment. Further investigations showed that Ca ions in the PEO coating stimulated proliferative activity of attached cells, resulting in competitive adhesion between cells and bacteria in clinical situation. Thus, high contact angle and integrated ZnO NPs prevent bacterial adhesion and considerably enhance the antibacterial property of TiZrNb alloys. A new anodic oxide coating with ZnO NPs could be successfully used for modification of low modulus alloys to decrease post-implantation complications.

Chitosan, a natural biopolymer, is an ideal candidate to prepare biomaterials capable of preventing microbial infections due to its antibacterial properties. Electrospinning is a versatile method ideally suited to process biopolymers with minimal impact on their physicochemical properties. However, fabrication parameters and post-processing routine can affect biological activity and, therefore, must be well adjusted. In this study, nanofibrous membranes were prepared using trifluoroacetic acid and dichloromethane and evaluated for physiochemical and antimicrobial properties. The use of such biomaterials as potential antibacterial agents was extensively studied in vitro using Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli as test organisms. The antibacterial assay showed inhibition of bacterial growth and eradication of the planktonic cells of both E. coli and S. aureus in the liquid medium for up to 6 hrs. The quantitative assay showed a significant reduction in bacteria cell viability by nanofibers depending on the method of fabrication. The antibacterial properties of these biomaterials can be attributed to the structural modifications provided by co-solvent formulation and application of post-treatment procedure. Consequently, the proposed antimicrobial surface modification method is a promising technique to prepare biomaterials designed to induce antimicrobial resistance via antiadhesive capability and the biocide-releasing mechanism.

This study investigates the development and application of electrospun wound dressings based on polylactic acid (PLA) nanofibers, chitosan, and copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) for the treatment of purulent skin wounds. The materials were evaluated for their structural, antibacterial, and wound healing properties using an animal model. PLA/Ch-CuNPs demonstrated the most significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, surpassing the other tested materials. The integration of CuNPs into the nanofiber matrices not only enhanced the antimicrobial efficacy but also maintained the structural integrity and biocompatibility of the dressings. In vivo experiments using a rat model showed that PLA/Ch-CuNPs facilitated faster wound healing with reduced exudative and inflammatory responses compared to PLA alone or PLA-CuNPs. Histological and immunohistochemical assessments revealed that the combination of PLA, chitosan, and CuNPs mitigated the inflammatory processes and promoted tissue regeneration more effectively. However, this study identified potential toxicity related to copper ions, emphasizing the need for careful optimization of CuNP concentrations. These findings suggest that PLA/Ch-CuNPs could serve as a potent, cost-effective wound dressing with broad-spectrum antibacterial properties, addressing the challenge of antibiotic-resistant infections and enhancing wound healing outcomes.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a leading cause of death in the European population, primarily attributed to atherosclerosis and subsequent complications. Although statin drugs effectively prevent atherosclerosis, they fail to reduce plaque size and vascular stenosis. Bare metal stents (BMS) have shown promise in acute coronary disease treatment but are associated with restenosis in the stent. Drug-eluting stents (DES) have improved restenosis rates but present long-term complications. To overcome these limitations, nanomaterial-based modifications of the stent surfaces have been explored. This study focuses on the incorporation of detonation nanodiamonds (NDs) into a plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coating on nitinol stents to enhance their performance. The functionalized ND showed a high surface-to-volume ratio and was incorporated into the oxide layer to mimic high-density lipoproteins (HDL) for reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). We provide substantial characterization of DND, including stability in two media (acetone and water), Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy, and nanoparticle tracking analysis. The characterization of the modified ND revealed successful functionalization and adequate suspension stability. Scanning electron microscopy with EDX demonstrated successful incorporation of DND into the ceramic layer, but the formation of a porous surface is possible only in the high-voltage PEO. The biological assessment demonstrated the biocompatibility of the decorated nitinol surface with enhanced cell adhesion and proliferation. This study presents a novel approach to improving the performance of nitinol stents using ND-based surface modifications, providing a promising avenue for cardiovascular disease.