Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), is a disease with world wide consequences, affecting nearly a third of the world's population. The established vaccine for TB, an attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis Calmette Guerin (BCG), has existed since 1921. Lactoferrin, an iron binding protein found in mucosal secretions and granules of neutrophils was hypothesized to be an ideal adjuvant to enhance the efficacy of the BCG vaccine, specifically because of previous reports of lactoferrin enhancement of IL-12 production from macrophages infected with BCG. Different vaccination protocols were investigated for generation of host protective responses against MTB infection using lactoferrin admixed to the BCG vaccine. Resulting effects demonstrate that BCG/lactoferrin increased host protection against MTB infection by decreasing organ bacterial load and reducing lung histopathology; significant reduction in tissue CFUs and pathology were observed post challenge compared to those seen with BCG alone. Addition of lactoferrin to the vaccine led to reduced pathological damage upon subsequent infection with virulent MTB, with positive results demonstrated when admixed in oil-based vehicle (incomplete Freund's adjuvant; IFA) or when given with BCG in saline. The observed post-challenge results paralleled increasing production of IFN-γ and IL-6, but only limited changes to proinflammatory mediators TNF-α or IL-1β from BCG stimulated splenocytes. Overall, these studies indicate that lactoferrin is a useful and effective adjuvant to improve efficacy of the BCG vaccine, with potential to reduce related tissue damage and pulmonary histopathology.

Implants in the form of polymer scaffolds are commonly used to regenerate bone tissue after traumas or tooth extractions. However, few implant formation methods enable building polymer scaffolds allowing to reconstruct larger bone losses without immune response. Spacious, porous poly‐l‐lactide implants with considerable volume were obtained using the phase inversion method with the freeze‐extraction variant. The calcium phosphate (CaP) coating was deposited on implant surfaces with the biomimetic method to improve the implant's osteoconductivity. The substitues morphology was characterized—porosity, size and shape of pores; mechanical properties, mass absorbability of implants before and after mineralization. The characteristics were provided with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), static compression test and hydrostatic weighing, respectively. The presence of CaPs in the entire volume of the implant was confirmed with SEM and infrared spectroscopy with Fourier transform (FTIR). The biocompatibility of scaffolds was confirmed with in vitro quantitative test and microscopic observations. The obtained results show that the implants can be used in tissue engineering as a vehicle of platelet‐rich plasma to regenerate critical spongy bone losses.

Polylactide scaffolds were prepared for the cancellous bone regeneration by the phase inversion method with freeze-extraction variant. A preliminary investigation and the optimization of the process were performed. For the obtained scaffolds, regression equations determining the effect: PLLA concentration by weight in 1,4-dioxane; volume ratio of the porophore/PLLA solution in 1,4-dioxane; and implant-forming solution pouring temperature, on the open porosity and mass absorbability were determined. The conditions in which the obtained implants were characterized by the maximal absorbability with the open porosity greater than 90 % were obtained.

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A nonplanar polylactide scaffold to be used in tissue engineering was obtained by freeze-extraction method. Properties of the scaffold were modified by adding Eudragit ® E100. The impact of the modification on morphology, porosity and pore size, mass absorbability, mechanical properties was determined. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), hydrostatic weighing test, static compression test was used to this end. The chemical composition of the scaffold was defined based on infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Biocompatibility was confirmed by quantitative tests and microscopic observation. The obtained results show that the obtained scaffolds may be applied as a carrier of hydrophilic cellular growth factors for more efficient tissue regeneration.