Fabrication and evaluation of bacterial nanocellulose/poly(acrylic acid)/graphene oxide composite hydrogel: Characterizations and biocompatibility studies for wound dressing

Abstract

Graphene oxide (GO) is a potential material for wound dressing due to its excellent biocompatibility and mechanical properties. This study evaluated the effects of GO concentration on the synthesis of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC)-grafted poly(acrylic acid) (AA)-graphene oxide (BNC/P (AA)/GO) composite hydrogel and its potential as wound dressing. Hydrogels were successfully synthesized via electron-beam irradiation. The hydrogels were characterized by their mechanical properties, bioadhesiveness, water vapor transmission rates (WVTRs), water retention abilities, water absorptivity, and biocompatibility. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed the successful incorporation of GO into hydrogel. Thickness, gel fraction determination and morphological study revealed that increased GO concentration in hydrogels leads to reduced crosslink density and larger pore size, resulting in increased WVTR. Thus, highest swelling ratio was found in hydrogel with higher amount of GO (0.09 wt %). The mechanical properties of the composite hydrogel were maintained, while its hardness and bioadhesion were reduced with higher GO concentration in the hydrogel, affirming the durable and easy removable properties of a wound dressing. Human dermal fibroblast cell attachment and proliferation studies showed that biocompatibility of hydrogel was improved with the inclusion of GO in the hydrogel. Therefore, BNC/P(AA)/GO composite hydrogel has a potential application as perdurable wound dressing.

Bacterial Cellulose—Graphene Based Nanocomposites

“…However, the authors reported fairly good biocompatibility results. The biomedical applications reported for BC-graphene nanocomposites include cell culture [45], tissue engineering [68,124,125], wound dressing [126] and drug delivery [111,[127][128][129].…”

Applications of Nanocellulose/Nanocarbon Composites: Focus on Biotechnology and Medicine

“…In a study by Chen et al (2019), a bacterial nanocellulose-grafted poly (acrylic acid)/GO composite hydrogel was prepared as a potential wound dressing. The inclusion of GO improved the attachment and proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts in cultures on the composites [108]. Similarly, hydroxypropyl cellulose matrix incorporated with GO and silver-coated ZnO nanoparticles showed improved tensile strength, and also anti-ultraviolet, antibacterial and immunostimulatory effects, which promoted wound healing in an in vivo mouse model [109].…”

“…General cell biocompatibility [68,69,87]; bone TE [37,59]; neural TE [105]; vascular TE [107] Neural tissue engineering [51]; TE in general [117] Wound dressing/healing Polysaccharides/fullerene C 60 derivatives [118] Human dermal fibroblasts in vitro [108]; mouse model in vivo [109] L929 fibroblasts in vitro [58,62]; HeLa cells in vitro, wound dressings delivering doxorubicin [97] Activated carbon: antibacterial wound dressing [30] This review summarizes recent knowledge on the types, properties and applications of nanocellulose/nanocarbon-based hybrid materials, particularly in biotechnology, biomedicine and tissue engineering, and reports on the experience acquired by our group.…”

“…They also promoted the growth of vascular endothelial cells, enhanced angiogenesis and arteriogenesis in a chick chorioallantoic membrane model [107], and improved cardiac conduction when applied to surgically disrupted myocardium in dogs [52]. In addition, these materials supported the growth of human dermal fibroblasts [108] and mouse subcutaneous L929 fibroblasts [58,62], promoted wound healing in vivo in mice [109] and showed an antibacterial effect [30]. These materials are therefore promising for bone, neural and vascular tissue engineering, for creating cardiac patches and for advanced wound dressings.…”

Latest Advances on Bacterial Cellulose-Based Antibacterial Materials as Wound Dressings

“…It was found that the GO-Ag nanohybrids exhibited synergetic enhanced antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus at a relatively low dose. In another way, the BNC/polyacrylic acid/GO composite hydrogels were successfully synthesized by electron beam irradiation, and with the increase of GO concentration in hydrogels, their hardness and biocompatibility decreased, thus ensuring the durability and ease of wound dressings removal (Chen et al, 2019). BC was modified by amidation reaction between carboxylated BC and dopamine (DOPA).…”