Biodegradable FeMnSi Sputter-Coated Macroporous Polypropylene Membranes for the Sustained Release of Drugs

Abstract

Pure Fe and FeMnSi thin films were sputtered on macroporous polypropylene (PP) membranes with the aim to obtain biocompatible, biodegradable and, eventually, magnetically-steerable platforms. Room-temperature ferromagnetic response was observed in both Fe- and FeMnSi-coated membranes. Good cell viability was observed in both cases by means of cytotoxicity studies, though the FeMnSi-coated membranes showed higher biodegradability than the Fe-coated ones. Various strategies to functionalize the porous platforms with transferrin-Alexa Fluor 488 (Tf-AF488) molecules were tested to determine an optimal balance between the functionalization yield and the cargo release. The distribution of Tf-AF488 within the FeMnSi-coated PP membranes, as well as its release and uptake by cells, was studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy. A homogeneous distribution of the drug within the membrane skeleton and its sustained release was achieved after three consecutive impregnations followed by the addition of a layer made of gelatin and maltodextrin, which prevented exceedingly fast release. The here-prepared organic-inorganic macroporous membranes could find applications as fixed or magnetically-steerable drug delivery platforms.

Electronic and Structural Properties of Antibacterial Ag–Ti-Based Surfaces: An Ab Initio Theoretical Study

“…Ga antibacterial inclusions in β-TiNb result in a stable solid solution with increased strength and Young's modulus due to the new Ga-Ti super sp-like bonding orbitals along specific directions [21]. Furthermore, the inclusion of Ag in the FeMn biodegradable implant induces martensitic transformation due to the creation of local depletion of the electronic charge at the intrinsic stacking fault plane, thus weakening the atomic bonds and gradually increasing the magnetization of the material, creating a material with tunable physical properties suitable for several technological applications [24,25].…”

3D Nanoporous Anodic Alumina Structures for Sustained Drug Release

“…These local drug release platforms face important challenges to ensure efficient therapy: (i) efficient loading of drugs, (ii) sustained delivery, (iii) avoiding the ‘burst effect’ (high dose release within the first minutes), (iv) material stability (avoiding degradation), and (v) the possibility to chemically modify their surface for a selective release [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Many types of materials are currently used for the development of these new drug delivery platforms, such as polymers [ 9 ], hydrogels [ 10 , 11 ], iron oxide [ 12 ], graphene [ 13 ], porous silicon [ 7 ], and mesoporous silica [ 14 ].…”