Chitin Nanofibril Application in Tympanic Membrane Scaffolds to Modulate Inflammatory and Immune Response

Summary

Tympanic membrane scaffolds are implanted into tissue that is often already inflamed by the infection that caused the perforation, which makes the immune response of the material a decisive factor. This study evaluates chitin nanofibrils in that role: at nanometric size and high crystallinity they lose the allergenic character of bulk chitin and acquire anti-inflammatory activity. Two routes were combined - a PEOT/PBT copolymer loaded with a chitin nanofibril/PEG pre-composite and electrospun into fibrous scaffolds, then coated by electrospray with nanofibrils of either crustacean or fungal origin. Degradation was followed over four months at body temperature, alongside the inflammatory and immune response, to assess whether the nanomaterial can modulate healing in an infected environment.

Authors & Affiliations

• Serena Danti Corresponding

  INSTM, Florence and University of Pisa, Italy
• Sandeep Anand

  MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
• Bahareh Azimi

  INSTM, Florence and University of Pisa, Italy
• Mario Milazzo

  INSTM, Florence and University of Pisa, Italy
• Alessandra Fusco

  INSTM, Florence, Italy
• Claudio Ricci

  INSTM, Florence, Italy
• Lorenzo Zavagna

  INSTM, Florence, Italy
• Stefano Linari

  Linari Engineering S.r.l., 56121 Pisa, Italy
• Giovanna Donnarumma

  INSTM, Florence, Italy
• Andrea Lazzeri

  INSTM, Florence and University of Pisa, Italy
• Lorenzo Moroni

  MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
• Carlos Mota

  MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
• Stefano Berrettini

  INSTM, Florence and University of Pisa, Italy

Linari Electrospinning Systems

Topics

Materials