Graphene Oxide and Stabilized Ortho-Silicic Acid as Modifiers of Amnion and Burn Affected Skin: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Introduction Oxidative tissue damage caused by reactive oxygen species results in a significant decrease in the total antioxidant capacity of the biological system. The aim of this interdisciplinary study was to answer the question of whether active antioxidants modify, at a molecular and supramolecular level, the tissue of pathological amnion and the necrotic eschar degraded in thermal burn. Methods A Nicolet 6700 Fourier-transform spectrophotometer with OMNIC software and the EasiDiff diffusion accessory were used in the FTIR spectroscopic analysis. A NICOLET MAGNA-IR 860 spectrometer with FT-Raman accessory was used to record the Raman spectra of the samples. The samples were exposed to bacteria capable of causing nosocomial infections, ie Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Whereas samples of hypotrophic amnion interacted with Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis . The obtained flame retardant effect of placentas was evaluated using the method of the limiting oxygen index (LOI). Results The infrared spectroscopy analysis proved that after modification of the amniotic samples in graphene oxide and ortho-silicic acid, the amide II band is split into two components. Incubation of samples in modifier solutions: graphene oxide, sodium ascorbate and L-ascorbic acid results in shifts and changes of intensity within the broadly understood lipid band 1743–1745–1747 cm −1 . The oxidising changes observed within the lipid and amide bands are affected by the incubation effect of graphene oxide as a modifier, possibly adsorbing on the surface of the amniotic membrane. On the basis of microbiological studies, pathogenic bacteria commonly causing amniotic infections and growing in burn wounds were found to have particularly good resistance to stabilized ortho-silicic acid ( E. coli ) and lactoferrin ( S.aureus ). Conclusion This thermogravimetric study found the highest stability of the analysed tissues (hypotrophic amnion and burnt epidermis) after modification with graphene oxide and sodium ascorbate.

Antibiofouling Activity of Graphene Materials and Graphene-Based Antimicrobial Coatings

“…The outstanding physicochemical characteristics, antimicrobial activity, and biocompatibility of graphene, its derivatives, and nanocomposites make them promising candidates for a large variety of antimicrobial applications, presented in Figure 2. They could be summarized as follows [54][55][56]: support to disperse and stabilize various nanomaterials, such as metals, metal oxides, and polymers with high antibacterial efficiency due to the synergistic effect [55]; antibacterial agents for treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections [34,57]; drug-delivery systems (based on the two-dimensional planar structure, large surface area, chemical and mechanical stability, and good biocompatibility) [34,58]; coatings for medical devices, membranes, and others, due to bread-spectrum antimicrobial activity [59][60][61][62][63][64]; creation of smart material surfaces (graphene materials with controllable wettability) [65]; biosensing and bioimaging (due to the ability to conjugate biomolecules and fluorescent dyes) [54], photothermal therapy (because of the high nearinfrared absorbance of the graphene) and gene therapy [54]; dentistry adhesives and dentin coatings [30,45]; endodontic (irrigants and intracanal medicaments; root canal disinfection) and the regenerative endodontics (support of bioactive molecules and enhancing the scaffold properties [66]; wound dressing and healing [33,40,[67][68][69][70][71]; sewage systems [72]; tissue repair, tissue and organ engineering (made possible by the ability of Gr materials to stimulate the growth of eukaryotic cells and to inhibit the microbial cells attachment and growth; 3D printing of 2D graphene to fabricate 3D structure for bone tissue scaffolds) [54]; antibacterial packaging [73]; water purification membranes…”

Graphene Oxide as a Collagen Modifier of Amniotic Membrane and Burnt Skin

“…Analysis of the AH1 SA and BH1 AA series revealed that the presence of SA causes flattening of the disulfide-bond area, whereas the incubation in AA resulted in a slight exposure of the 510 cm −1 (S-S gauche-gauche-gauche) and 528 cm −1 bands (S-S gauche-gauche-trans), as well as formation of the 564 cm −1 band (S-S trans-gauche-trans) (Figure 4). In thermogravimetric studies, 26 an increase in the stability of BS GO samples after incubation in GO solutions has been observed, which is confirmed by the presence of bands near 510 cm −1 for the gauche-gauche-gauche conformation of C-C-S-S-C-C, which are considered the most stable form of disulfide bonds. Incubation of samples of burn-damaged epidermis in GO solutions also results in changes in the FTR spectrum in the area of 520-562 cm −1 : S-S stretch trans and gauche conformers, 63 ie, separation of the S-S gauche-gauchetrans and 561 cm −1 (S-S trans-gauche-trans).…”

“…However, in the case of hypotrophic amniotic samples, changes — as characteristic as for AA — in the broadly understood lipid area occur during the interaction of amniotic membranes with SA. 26 What is more, this paper has demonstrated that when using higher concentrations of antioxidants (7%, ie, 3.5 g AA for samples of BH1 AA; Figure 4A ) for incubation of amniotic samples, strengthening of the lipid band 1,754 cm −1 was observed, which indicates a surface effect. For lower concentrations of antioxidants (0.001 g for BS SA and BS AA samples), an aspect characteristic of SA, the so-called intermolecular exchange within the membrane, was revealed.…”

“…However, in the case of hypotrophic amniotic samples, changes -as characteristic as for AA -in the broadly understood lipid area occur during the interaction of amniotic membranes with SA. 26 What is more, this paper has demonstrated that when using higher concentrations of antioxidants (7%, ie, 3.5 g AA for samples of BH1 AA; Figure 4A) for incubation of amniotic samples,…”

“…While the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and FT Raman (FTR) spectroscopy studies are the primary source of information on the molecular structure of the biopolymer, changes in collagen structure at the supramolecular level are assessed on the basis of results of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and changes in the topography of the surface of the tested samples are assessed with the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The aim of this interdisciplinary study, which is a continuation of prior work, 26 was to answer the question of whether the active antioxidants GO, sodium ascorbate (SA), and L-ascorbic acid (AA) modify at a molecular and supramolecular level the tissue of pathological amnion and the necrotic eschar degraded in thermal burn. We study propose new solutions of modifiers based on GO that will become innovative ingredients to be used in transplants (amnion) and enhance regeneration of epidermis degraded in thermal burn.…”