Incorporation of Gentamicin-Encapsulated Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) Nanoparticles into Polyurethane/Poly(ethylene oxide) Nanofiber Scaffolds for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

The development of wound-dressing materials has attracted significant research interests in recent years. With the advancement of nanofabrication, the application of nanoparticles (NPs) in drug delivery systems has become feasible. However, most existing work focuses on incorporation of metal, metal/semimetal oxide, or organic particles into nanofiber scaffolds. There has been a lack of work on the incorporation of drug-encapsulated polymeric particles into nanofiber scaffolds. In this study, gentamicin-encapsulated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) NPs were synthesized via a double emulsion solvent evaporation method. Electrospinning was used to incorporate gentamicinencapsulated PLGA NPs into nanofiber scaffolds. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet−visible spectroscopy (UV−vis), and an agar diffusion method were utilized to characterize the morphologies, release profiles, and antibacterial activities of various gentamicin-loaded PLGA NP-incorporated nanofiber scaffolds. The results indicated that the PLGA NPs had a spherical morphology with an average diameter of 130 nm. Purification of PLGA NPs was essential to eliminate the residual poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and to prevent particle agglomeration. The purified PLGA NPs were uniformly and individually incorporated into the polyurethane (PU)/ poly(ethenyl oxide) (PEO) or PEO-only nanofiber scaffolds but nearly none into the PU-only fiber scaffolds. PEO served as a continuous phase in the PU/PEO mixture, which significantly improved the compatibility of PLGA NPs and PU, resulting in a well-dispersed distribution of PLGA NPs in the monolithic nanofiber scaffolds. Excellent antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli were found in both PU/PEO and PEO nanofiber scaffolds. This study of incorporating gentamicin-encapsulated PLGA NPs into fiber scaffolds provides insights for achieving successful incorporation of drug-encapsulated polymeric NPs into fiber scaffolds. This offers a promising microfabrication technology for delivery of therapeutic molecules with controlled release for biomedical applications.

Synthesis of polymeric nanoparticles by double emulsion and pH-driven: encapsulation of antibiotics and natural products for combating Escherichia coli infections

“…The studies conducted by Song et al ( 2021 ), Fahmy et al ( 2022 ), and Sun et al ( 2023b ) explored various nanoparticle formulations and their activity against E. coli using the DE technique. Song et al ( 2021 ) observed that ciprofloxacin-loaded nanoparticles displayed a dose-dependent inhibition of bacterial growth, with a MIC of 0.0188 μg/mL, while empty particles showed no significant effect, with an MIC exceeding 10 μg/mL.…”

“…Fahmy et al ( 2022 ) investigated nanoparticles containing Peganum harmala alkaloid complex (HARF), demonstrating an MIC of 0.025 mg/mL, showcasing higher antibacterial efficacy than the free HARF (0.5 mg/mL). Lastly, Sun et al ( 2023b ) analyzed nanofibers loaded with gentamicin nanoparticles, resulting in an inhibition zone of 7.16 mm, markedly greater than observed with nanoparticles alone without the drug (0 mm).…”

“…Based on the obtained results, it is noted that the gradual release of active ingredients encapsulated within polymeric nanoparticles can exert a continuous effect on bacterial growth over time due to the controlled release property that inhibits such growth. Additionally, improvements in physicochemical properties, such as enhanced hydrophilicity upon incorporation into the nanoparticles, may favor bactericidal action (Simon et al 2020 ; Sun et al 2023b ). These particles also possess the ability to adhere to the cell wall, as evidenced by their negative surface charge (Table 3 ), facilitating the targeted release of their content.…”

“…These particles also possess the ability to adhere to the cell wall, as evidenced by their negative surface charge (Table 3 ), facilitating the targeted release of their content. The crucial relevance of the double emulsion technique in achieving these promising outcomes is highlighted, allowing for precise and controlled formulation of the nanoparticles, enhancing their efficacy as antimicrobial agents (Song et al 2021 ; Fahmy et al 2022 ; Sun et al 2023b ).…”

“…However, these techniques, especially the single emulsion method, face stability problems in PNPs, such as particle coalescence, rupture of internal droplets, and phase separation. Therefore, the double emulsion (DE) method stands out as promising for encapsulating antibiotics with low water solubility in PNPs (Jamshidifar et al 2022 ; Sun et al 2023b ).…”