Chitin Nanofibril Application in Tympanic Membrane Scaffolds to Modulate Inflammatory and Immune Response
Serena Danti,
Shivesh Anand,
Bahareh Azimi,
Mario Milazzo,
Alessandra Fusco,
Claudio Ricci,
Lorenzo Zavagna,
Stefano Linari,
Giovanna Donnarumma,
Andrea Lazzeri,
Lorenzo Moroni,
Carlos Mota,
Stefano Berrettini
Affiliations
Serena Danti
Interuniversity National Consortiums of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), 50121 Firenze, Italy
Shivesh Anand
Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration, MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
Bahareh Azimi
Interuniversity National Consortiums of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), 50121 Firenze, Italy
Mario Milazzo
Interuniversity National Consortiums of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), 50121 Firenze, Italy
Alessandra Fusco
Interuniversity National Consortiums of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), 50121 Firenze, Italy
Claudio Ricci
Interuniversity National Consortiums of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), 50121 Firenze, Italy
Lorenzo Zavagna
Interuniversity National Consortiums of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), 50121 Firenze, Italy
Stefano Linari
Linari Engineering s.r.l., 56121 Pisa, Italy
Giovanna Donnarumma
Interuniversity National Consortiums of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), 50121 Firenze, Italy
Andrea Lazzeri
Interuniversity National Consortiums of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), 50121 Firenze, Italy
Lorenzo Moroni
Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration, MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
Carlos Mota
Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration, MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
Stefano Berrettini
Interuniversity National Consortiums of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), 50121 Firenze, Italy
Chitin nanofibrils (CNs) are an emerging bio-based nanomaterial. Due to nanometric size and high crystallinity, CNs lose the allergenic features of chitin and interestingly acquire anti-inflammatory activity. Here we investigate the possible advantageous use of CNs in tympanic membrane (TM) scaffolds, as they are usually implanted inside highly inflamed tissue environment due to underlying infectious pathologies. In this study, the applications of CNs in TM scaffolds were twofold. A nanocomposite was used, consisting of poly(ethylene oxide terephthalate)/poly(butylene terephthalate) (PEOT/PBT) copolymer loaded with CN/polyethylene glycol (PEG) pre-composite at 50/50 (w/w %) weight ratio, and electrospun into fiber scaffolds, which were coated by CNs from crustacean or fungal sources via electrospray. The degradation behavior of the scaffolds was investigated during 4 months at 37 °C in an otitis-simulating fluid. In vitro tests were performed using cell types to mimic the eardrum, i.e., human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) for connective, and human dermal keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) for epithelial tissues. HMSCs were able to colonize the scaffolds and produce collagen type I. The inflammatory response of HaCaT cells in contact with the CN-coated scaffolds was investigated, revealing a marked downregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines. CN-coated PEOT/PBT/(CN/PEG 50:50) scaffolds showed a significant indirect antimicrobial activity.