Biodegradable Polymeric Micro/Nano-Structures with Intrinsic Antifouling/Antimicrobial Properties: Relevance in Damaged Skin and Other Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Bacterial colonization of implanted biomedical devices is the main cause of healthcare-associated infections, estimated to be 8.8 million per year in Europe. Many infections originate from damaged skin, which lets microorganisms exploit injuries and surgical accesses as passageways to reach the implant site and inner organs. Therefore, an effective treatment of skin damage is highly desirable for the success of many biomaterial-related surgical procedures. Due to gained resistance to antibiotics, new antibacterial treatments are becoming vital to control nosocomial infections arising as surgical and post-surgical complications. Surface coatings can avoid biofouling and bacterial colonization thanks to biomaterial inherent properties (e.g., super hydrophobicity), specifically without using drugs, which may cause bacterial resistance. The focus of this review is to highlight the emerging role of degradable polymeric micro- and nano-structures that show intrinsic antifouling and antimicrobial properties, with a special outlook towards biomedical applications dealing with skin and skin damage. The intrinsic properties owned by the biomaterials encompass three main categories: (1) physical–mechanical, (2) chemical, and (3) electrostatic. Clinical relevance in ear prostheses and breast implants is reported. Collecting and discussing the updated outcomes in this field would help the development of better performing biomaterial-based antimicrobial strategies, which are useful to prevent infections.

Electrosprayed Chitin Nanofibril/Electrospun Polyhydroxyalkanoate Fiber Mesh as Functional Nonwoven for Skin Application

“…Even though many scaffold architectures have been revealed to support fibroblast growth [ 40 ], by mimicking the structure of the fibrillar ECM, electrospun scaffolds are expected to allow an optimal dermal regeneration [ 26 ]. Moreover, by downregulating inflammatory cytokines and upregulating HBD-2 in keratinocytes, thanks to CN-based particles, such surface functionalized scaffolds should act as highly functional biomaterials [ 41 ].…”

Bio-Based Electrospun Fibers for Wound Healing

“…Nanoscale particles with high surface to volume ratio, afford a significant improvement in antibacterial activity of electrospun wound dressings [3,63,86,87]. Recent strategies rely on using polymers with intrinsic antibacterial activity, due to physical, chemical or morphological cues which cause an obstacle for bacterial colonization and biofilm formation [88]. Bio-based and biopolymers can offer great opportunities for this purpose.…”

“…Biopolymers from different sources such as plant (cellulose, lignin), animal (collagen, chitin, chitosan), micro-organisms (bacterial cellulose, PHA) and biotechnological process (polylactides) ( Figure 5), have shown promise in biomedical applications, including drug delivery, tissue engineering and wound healing because of their specific properties. Many of them possess antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, non/low-immunogenic, renewable, biodegradable, and biocompatible characters [88]. These polymers are expected to soon replace plastic goods in the biomedical sector, not only as proper bioactive devices, but also as sterile packaging and consumables [93,94].…”

“…Chitin and chitosan; the deacetylated form of chitin are polysaccharides which can be used for wound healing applications because of their antimicrobial, biocompatible, and hemostatic properties [67,115]. Due to the presence of a large number of amino groups on its chain, chitosan behaves as a weak polybase and for this reason exerts antibacterial activity [88]. The pro-inflammatory properties of chitosan have been invoked to play a fundamental role in wound healing procedure.…”

“…Jayakumar et al demonstrated the potential of chitosan on the regeneration and re-epithelialization of the skin granular layer [116]. Moreover, chitosan proficiently interacts with negatively charged blood cells and with such an efficient adhesion to the wound, it stops the bleeding [88]. Min et al used electrospinning to fabricate chitin and chitosan nanofibrous matrices (Figure 8a,b) for wound dressings application, using 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) as a spinning solvent.…”