Bacterial Nanocellulose Magnetically Functionalized for Neuro‐Endovascular Treatment

Abstract

Current treatments for brain aneurysms are invasive, traumatic, and not suitable in most patients with increased risks. A new alternative method is using scaffold stents to create a local and focal attraction force of cells for an in situ reconstruction of the tunica media. For this purpose, a nanostructured bioactive coating is designed to render an asymmetric region of the stent scaffold magnetic and biomimetic, which utilizes bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) as a platform for both magnetic and cell attraction as well as proliferation. The magnetization of the BNC is realized through the reaction of Fe III and II, precipitating superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION). Subsequently, magnetic bacterial nanocellulose (MBNC) is coated with polyethylene glycol to improve its biocompatibility. Cytotoxicity and biocompatibility are evaluated using porcine aortic smooth muscle cells. Preliminary cellular migration assays demonstrate the behavior between MBNC and cells labeled with SPION. In this work, (1) synthesis of BNC impregnated with magnetic nanoparticles is successfully demonstrated; (2) a viable, resilient, and biocompatible hydrogel membrane is tested for neuroendovascular application using a stent scaffold; (3) cell viability and minimal cytotoxicity is achieved; (4) cell migration tests and examination of cellular magnetic attraction confirm the viability of MBNC as a multifunctional coating.

In situ Study Unravels Bio‐Nanomechanical Behavior in a Magnetic Bacterial Nano‐cellulose (MBNC) Hydrogel for Neuro‐Endovascular Reconstruction

“…More importantly, the difference in elasto‐mechanical behavior between the MBNC surface and its core macroscale structure confirms as corroborated by SEM that the MBNC surface clearly contains a higher density of MNPs than the core and is composed of a hierarchical structure that enables the configuration of a MNP density gradient ultimately resulting in a local magnetic flux gradient. The gradient in magnetic flux is critical to the design of a local magnetic force and its function described in a separate paper …”

“…The gradient in magnetic flux is critical to the design of a local magnetic force and its function described in a separate paper. [37]…”

Nanocellulose as a natural source for groundbreaking applications in materials science: Today’s state

“…Biomedical sector -Further current developments in the BNC field mainly concern novel carrier materials for cell cultivation [122,137,138], encapsulation of cells/immobilization of enzymes [139], coating of medical devices [140], and the production of BNC materials using the well-known oxygen-transparent silicone supports [141,142]. In case of medical implants a lot of results is reported not only in the field of soft tissue implants (see Section In vivo scaffolds) but also regarding materials for bone regeneration [121,143,144].…”

Nanocellulose in Biotechnology and Medicine: Focus on Skin Tissue Engineering and Wound Healing

“…In experiments in vitro, magnetic BNC coated with polyethylene glycol proved to form suitable scaffolds for porcine VSMCs, showing minimum cytotoxicity and supportive effects on cell viability and migration. This material also possessed suitable mechanical properties, and was considered to be promising for the treatment of brain vascular aneurysms [177,178]. Harmonic Generation (SHG) imaging, the MSCs on BNC scaffolds produced a mature type of collagen I and showed activity of alkaline phosphatase [179].…”