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    BioTransporter - effizienter Wirkstofftransport in biologischen Systemen : Verbundprojekt Wirkstofffreisetzungssysteme für den Urogenitaltrakt - DUro, Teilvorhaben: Entwicklung aktiver Mikrosphären zur Freisetzung urologisch relevanter Medikamente ; Schlussbericht
    (Hannover : Technische Informationsbibliothek (TIB), 2014) Dittrich, Barbara; Möller, Martin
    Die Entwicklung lokaler Drug-Delivery-Systeme im Rahmen des Verbundprojektes addressierte zwei häufige urologische Erkrankungen: die Überaktive Blase (OAB, overactive bladder) und das nicht-muskelinvasiven Blasenkarzinom (NMIBK). Die OAB besitzt mit einer Prävalenz von 17 % in den USA und Europa das Ausmaß einer Volkskrankheit. Aktuelle Ansätze zur intravesikalen lokalen Wirkstoffgabe beinhalten in der Regel die Einspülung von Wirkstofflösungen über einen Katheter in die Blase (Instillation). Hierbei werden z. B. Antimuskarinika gegen die Überaktive Blase (overactive bladder, OAB) oder ein Zytostatika zur Rezidiv- und Progressionsprophylaxe bei nicht-Muskel invasivem Blasenkarzinom (NMIBK) eingesetzt. Das Ziel des Teilvorhabens war die Entwicklung aktiver Mikrosphären und Filamente auf Polymerbasis zur lokalen Freisetzung von urologisch relevanten Wirkstoffen wie beispielsweise Trospiumchlorid oder Mitomycin C in die Blase. Durch die lokale Freisetzung sollen Nebenwirkungen, die bei einer systemischen Darreichung auftreten, vermieden bzw. minimiert werden. Es wurde ein skalierbares Herstellungsverfahren für die Herstellung der aktiven Mikrosphären entwickelt, ausgehend von der Mahlung und Dispersion der Wirkstoffpartikel in der Polymermatrix durch einen Naßmahlprozess, dem eigentlichen Herstellungsverfahren auf der Basis eines Emulsionsprozess und der anschließenden Aufarbeitung zu einem rieselfähigen Pulver durch das Verfahren der Sprühtrocknung. Das Freisetzungsverhalten der ausgewählten Polymermatrices wurde untersucht und eine Optimierung des Systems vorgenommen. Für die Indikation NMIBK wurde ein stark verkleinertes Filament-artiges Drug-Delivery-Systems entwickelt. Die entwickelten aktiven Mikrosphären konnten erfolgreich in das Gesamtsystem eingebaut werden und die entwickelten Drug-Delivery-Systeme wurden erfolgreich in den in-vitro und in-vivo Untersuchungen der Projektpartner angewendet.
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    Noninvasive Assessment of Elimination and Retention using CT-FMT and Kinetic Whole-body Modeling
    (Wyoming, NSW : Ivyspring, 2017) Al Rawashdeh, Wa'el; Zuo, Simin; Melle, Andrea; Appold, Lia; Koletnik, Susanne; Tsvetkova, Yoanna; Beztsinna, Nataliia; Pich, Andrij; Lammers, Twan; Kiessling, Fabian; Gremse, Felix
    Fluorescence-mediated tomography (FMT) is a quantitative three-dimensional imaging technique for preclinical research applications. The combination with micro-computed tomography (μCT) enables improved reconstruction and analysis. The aim of this study is to assess the potential of μCT-FMT and kinetic modeling to determine elimination and retention of typical model drugs and drug delivery systems. We selected four fluorescent probes with different but well-known biodistribution and elimination routes: Indocyanine green (ICG), hydroxyapatite-binding OsteoSense (OS), biodegradable nanogels (NG) and microbubbles (MB). μCT-FMT scans were performed in twenty BALB/c nude mice (5 per group) at 0.25, 2, 4, 8, 24, 48 and 72 h after intravenous injection. Longitudinal organ curves were determined using interactive organ segmentation software and a pharmacokinetic whole-body model was implemented and applied to compute physiological parameters describing elimination and retention. ICG demonstrated high initial hepatic uptake which decreased rapidly while intestinal accumulation appeared for around 8 hours which is in line with the known direct uptake by hepatocytes followed by hepatobiliary elimination. Complete clearance from the body was observed at 48 h. NG showed similar but slower hepatobiliary elimination because these nanoparticles require degradation before elimination can take place. OS was strongly located in the bones in addition to high signal in the bladder at 0.25 h indicating fast renal excretion. MB showed longest retention in liver and spleen and low signal in the kidneys likely caused by renal elimination or retention of fragments. Furthermore, probe retention was found in liver (MB, NG and OS), spleen (MB) and kidneys (MB and NG) at 72 h which was confirmed by ex vivo data. The kinetic model enabled robust extraction of physiological parameters from the organ curves. In summary, μCT-FMT and kinetic modeling enable differentiation of hepatobiliary and renal elimination routes and allow for the noninvasive assessment of retention sites in relevant organs including liver, kidney, bone and spleen. © Ivyspring International Publisher.
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    Multimodal and multiscale optical imaging of nanomedicine delivery across the blood-brain barrier upon sonopermeation
    (Wyoming, NSW : Ivyspring, 2020) May, Jan-Niklas; Golombek, Susanne K.; Baues, Maike; Dasgupta, Anshuman; Drude, Natascha; Rix, Anne; Rommel, Dirk; Stillfried, Saskia von; Appold, Lia; Pola, Robert; Pechar, Michal; van Bloois, Louis; Storm, Gert; Kuehne, Alexander J.C.; Gremse, Felix; Theek, Benjamin; Kiessling, Fabian; Lammers, Twan
    Rationale: The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a major obstacle for drug delivery to the brain. Sonopermeation, which relies on the combination of ultrasound and microbubbles, has emerged as a powerful tool to permeate the BBB, enabling the extravasation of drugs and drug delivery systems (DDS) to and into the central nervous system (CNS). When aiming to improve the treatment of high medical need brain disorders, it is important to systematically study nanomedicine translocation across the sonopermeated BBB. To this end, we here employed multimodal and multiscale optical imaging to investigate the impact of DDS size on brain accumulation, extravasation and penetration upon sonopermeation. Methods: Two prototypic DDS, i.e. 10 nm-sized pHPMA polymers and 100 nm-sized PEGylated liposomes, were labeled with fluorophores and intravenously injected in healthy CD-1 nude mice. Upon sonopermeation, computed tomography-fluorescence molecular tomography, fluorescence reflectance imaging, fluorescence microscopy, confocal microscopy and stimulated emission depletion nanoscopy were used to study the effect of DDS size on their translocation across the BBB. Results: Sonopermeation treatment enabled safe and efficient opening of the BBB, which was confirmed by staining extravasated endogenous IgG. No micro-hemorrhages, edema and necrosis were detected in H&E stainings. Multimodal and multiscale optical imaging showed that sonopermeation promoted the accumulation of nanocarriers in mouse brains, and that 10 nm-sized polymeric DDS accumulated more strongly and penetrated deeper into the brain than 100 nm-sized liposomes. Conclusions: BBB opening via sonopermeation enables safe and efficient delivery of nanomedicine formulations to and into the brain. When looking at accumulation and penetration (and when neglecting issues such as drug loading capacity and therapeutic efficacy) smaller-sized DDS are found to be more suitable for drug delivery across the BBB than larger-sized DDS. These findings are valuable for better understanding and further developing nanomedicine-based strategies for the treatment of CNS disorders. © The author(s).
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    Biocompatible Micron-Scale Silk Fibers Fabricated by Microfluidic Wet Spinning
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Lüken, Arne; Geiger, Matthias; Steinbeck, Lea; Joel, Anna-Christin; Lampert, Angelika; Linkhorst, John; Wessling, Matthias
    For successful material deployment in tissue engineering, the material itself, its mechanical properties, and the microscopic geometry of the product are of particular interest. While silk is a widely applied protein-based tissue engineering material with strong mechanical properties, the size and shape of artificially spun silk fibers are limited by existing processes. This study adjusts a microfluidic spinneret to manufacture micron-sized wet-spun fibers with three different materials enabling diverse geometries for tissue engineering applications. The spinneret is direct laser written (DLW) inside a microfluidic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chip using two-photon lithography, applying a novel surface treatment that enables a tight print-channel sealing. Alginate, polyacrylonitrile, and silk fibers with diameters down to 1 Âµm are spun, while the spinneret geometry controls the shape of the silk fiber, and the spinning process tailors the mechanical property. Cell-cultivation experiments affirm bio-compatibility and showcase an interplay between the cell-sized fibers and cells. The presented spinning process pushes the boundaries of fiber fabrication toward smaller diameters and more complex shapes with increased surface-to-volume ratio and will substantially contribute to future tailored tissue engineering materials for healthcare applications. © 2021 The Authors. Advanced Healthcare Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    How Much Physical Guidance is Needed to Orient Growing Axons in 3D Hydrogels?
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2020) Rose, Jonas C.; Gehlen, David B.; Omidinia-Anarkoli, Abdolrahman; Fölster, Maaike; Haraszti, Tamás; Jaekel, Esther E.; De Laporte, Laura
    Directing cells is essential to organize multi-cellular organisms that are built up from subunits executing specific tasks. This guidance requires a precisely controlled symphony of biochemical, mechanical, and structural signals. While many guiding mechanisms focus on 2D structural patterns or 3D biochemical gradients, injectable material platforms that elucidate how cellular processes are triggered by defined 3D physical guiding cues are still lacking but crucial for the repair of soft tissues. Herein, a recently developed anisotropic injectable hybrid hydrogel (Anisogel) contains rod-shaped microgels that orient in situ by a magnetic field and has propelled studying 3D cell guidance. Here, the Anisogel is used to investigate the dependence of axonal guidance on microgel dimensions, aspect ratio, and distance. While large microgels result in high material anisotropy, they significantly reduce neurite outgrowth and thus the guidance efficiency. Narrow and long microgels enable strong axonal guidance with maximal outgrowth including cell sensing over distances of tens of micrometers in 3D. Moreover, nerve cells decide to orient inside the Anisogel within the first three days, followed by strengthening of the alignment, which goes along with oriented fibronectin deposition. These findings demonstrate the potential of the Anisogel to tune structural and mechanical parameters for specific applications. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    Digitally Fabricated and Naturally Augmented In Vitro Tissues
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2020) Duarte Campos, Daniela F.; De Laporte, Laura
    Human in vitro tissues are extracorporeal 3D cultures of human cells embedded in biomaterials, commonly hydrogels, which recapitulate the heterogeneous, multiscale, and architectural environment of the human body. Contemporary strategies used in 3D tissue and organ engineering integrate the use of automated digital manufacturing methods, such as 3D printing, bioprinting, and biofabrication. Human tissues and organs, and their intra- and interphysiological interplay, are particularly intricate. For this reason, attentiveness is rising to intersect materials science, medicine, and biology with arts and informatics. This report presents advances in computational modeling of bioink polymerization and its compatibility with bioprinting, the use of digital design and fabrication in the development of fluidic culture devices, and the employment of generative algorithms for modeling the natural and biological augmentation of in vitro tissues. As a future direction, the use of serially linked in vitro tissues as human body-mimicking systems and their application in drug pharmacokinetics and metabolism, disease modeling, and diagnostics are discussed. © 2020 The Authors. Advanced Healthcare Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    Controlling Structure with Injectable Biomaterials to Better Mimic Tissue Heterogeneity and Anisotropy
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Babu, Susan; Albertino, Filippo; Omidinia-Anarkoli, Abdolrahman; De Laporte, Laura
    Tissue regeneration of sensitive tissues calls for injectable scaffolds, which are minimally invasive and offer minimal damage to the native tissues. However, most of these systems are inherently isotropic and do not mimic the complex hierarchically ordered nature of the native extracellular matrices. This review focuses on the different approaches developed in the past decade to bring in some form of anisotropy to the conventional injectable tissue regenerative matrices. These approaches include introduction of macroporosity, in vivo pattering to present biomolecules in a spatially and temporally controlled manner, availability of aligned domains by means of self-assembly or oriented injectable components, and in vivo bioprinting to obtain structures with features of high resolution that resembles native tissues. Toward the end of the review, different techniques to produce building blocks for the fabrication of heterogeneous injectable scaffolds are discussed. The advantages and shortcomings of each approach are discussed in detail with ideas to improve the functionality and versatility of the building blocks. © 2021 The Authors. Advanced Healthcare Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    Efficacy of A Poly(MeOEGMA) Brush on the Prevention of Escherichia coli Biofilm Formation and Susceptibility
    (Basel : MDPI, 2020) Alves, Patrícia; Gomes, Luciana Calheiros; Rodríguez-Emmenegger, Cesar; Mergulhão, Filipe José
    Urinary tract infections are one of the most common hospital-acquired infections, and they are often associated with biofilm formation in indwelling medical devices such as catheters and stents. This study aims to investigate the antibiofilm performance of a polymer brush—poly[oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate], poly(MeOEGMA)—and evaluate its effect on the antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli biofilms formed on that surface. Biofilms were formed in a parallel plate flow chamber (PPFC) for 24 h under the hydrodynamic conditions prevailing in urinary catheters and stents and challenged with ampicillin. Results obtained with the brush were compared to those obtained with two control surfaces, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and glass. The polymer brush reduced by 57% the surface area covered by E. coli after 24 h, as well as the number of total adhered cells. The antibiotic treatment potentiated cell death and removal, and the total cell number was reduced by 88%. Biofilms adapted their architecture, and cell morphology changed to a more elongated form during that period. This work suggests that the poly(MeOEGMA) brush has potential to prevent bacterial adhesion in urinary tract devices like ureteral stents and catheters, as well as in eradicating biofilms developed in these biomedical devices. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
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    EndOxy: Dynamic Long-Term Evaluation of Endothelialized Gas Exchange Membranes for a Biohybrid Lung
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2020) Klein, Sarah; Hesselmann, Felix; Djeljadini, Suzana; Berger, Tanja; Thiebes, Anja Lena; Schmitz-Rode, Thomas; Jockenhoevel, Stefan; Cornelissen, Christian G.
    In the concept of a biohybrid lung, endothelial cells seeded on gas exchange membranes form a non-thrombogenic an anti-inflammatory surface to overcome the lacking hemocompatibility of today’s oxygenators during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. To evaluate this concept, the long-term stability and gas exchange performance of endothelialized RGD-conjugated polydimethylsiloxane (RGD-PDMS) membranes was evaluated. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (ECs) were cultured on RGD-PDMS in a model system under physiological wall shear stress (WSS) of 0.5 Pa for up to 33 days. Gas exchange performance was tested with three biological replicates under elevated WSS of 2.5 Pa using porcine blood adjusted to venous values following ISO 7199 and blood gas analysis. EC morphology was assessed by immunocytochemistry (n = 3). RGD-PDMS promoted endothelialization and stability of endothelialized membranes was shown for at least 33 days and for a maximal WSS of 2.5 Pa. Short-term exposure to porcine blood did not affect EC integrity. The gas transfer tests provided evidence for the oxygenation and decarboxylation of the blood across endothelialized membranes with a decrease of transfer rates over time that needs to be addressed in further studies with larger sample sizes. Our results demonstrate the general suitability of RGD-PDMS for biohybrid lung applications, which might enable long-term support of patients with chronic lung failure in the future. © 2019, The Author(s).
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    EndOxy: Mid-term stability and shear stress resistance of endothelial cells on PDMS gas exchange membranes
    (Oxford [u.a.] : Wiley-Blackwell, 2020) Hellmann, Ariane; Klein, Sarah; Hesselmann, Felix; Djeljadini, Suzana; Schmitz-Rode, Thomas; Jockenhoevel, Stefan; Cornelissen, Christian G.; Thiebes, Anja Lena
    Endothelialized oxygenator devices (EndOxy) with a physiological, nonthrombogenic, and anti-inflammatory surface offer the potential to overcome current shortcomings of conventional extracorporeal membrane oxygenation such as complications like thromboembolism and bleeding that deteriorate adequate long-term hemocompatibility. The approach of endothelialization of gas exchange membranes, and thus the formation of a nonthrombogenic and anti-inflammatory surface, is promising. In this study, we investigated the mid-term shear stress resistance as well as gas transfer rates and cell densities of endothelial cells seeded on RGD-conjugated polydimethylsiloxane (RGD-PDMS) gas exchange membranes under dynamic conditions. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were seeded on RGD-PDMS and exposed to defined shear stresses in a microfluidic bioreactor. Endothelial cell morphology was assessed by bright field microscopy and immunocytochemistry. Furthermore, gas transfer measurement of blank, RGD-conjugated, and endothelialized PDMS oxygenator membranes was performed. RGD-PDMS gas exchange membranes proved suitable for the dynamic culture of endothelial cells for up to 21 days at a wall shear stress of 2.9 dyn/cm2. Furthermore, the cells resisted increased wall shear stresses up to 8.6 dyn/cm2 after a previous dynamic preculture of each one hour at 2.9 dyn/cm2 and 5.7 dyn/cm2. Also, after a longer dynamic preculture of three days at 2.9 dyn/cm2 and one hour at 5.7 dyn/cm2, increased wall shear stresses of 8.6 dyn/cm2 were tolerated by the cells and cell integrity could be remained. Gas transfer (GT) tests revealed that neither RGD conjugation nor endothelialization of RGD-PDMS significantly decrease the gas transfer rates of the membranes during short-term trials. Gas transfer rates are stable for at least 72 hours of dynamic cultivation of endothelial cells. Immunocytochemistry showed that the cell layer stained positive for typical endothelial cell markers CD31 and von Willebrand factor (VWF) after all trials. Cell density of EC on RGD-PDMS increased between 3 and 21 days of dynamic culture. In this study, we show the suitability of RGD-PDMS membranes for flow resistant endothelialization of gas-permeable membranes, demonstrating the feasibility of this approach for a biohybrid lung. © 2020 The Authors. Artificial Organs published by International Center for Artificial Organ and Transplantation (ICAOT) and Wiley Periodicals LLC