Vitamin E triggers poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) embolic potential: a proposed application for endovascular surgery.

Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) is a biocompatible polymer used as embolizing agent for endovascular surgery. Blending of PHEMA with a hydrophobic and anti-oxidant agent, Vitamin E (Vit.E, 0.

Mechanical stretching modulates growth direction and MMP-9 release in human keratinocyte monolayer.

Cells within human skin are exposed to mechanical stretching that is considered a trigger stimulus for keratinocyte proliferation, while its effect on keratinocyte migration has been poorly investigate. In order to explore the effect of stretching on keratinocyte migration spontaneously immortalized human keratinocyte (HaCaT) monolayers seeded onto collagen I-coated silicon sheets were stimulated 3 times for 1 hour every 24 hours (total time = 72 hours) by mechanical stretching increasing substrate deformations (10%) applied both as static (0 Hz) and cyclic (0.17 Hz) uniaxial stretching.

TC-5214 (S-(+)-mecamylamine): a neuronal nicotinic receptor modulator with antidepressant activity.

Both clinical and preclinical data support a potential therapeutic benefit of modulating the activity of CNS neuronal nicotinic receptors (NNRs) to treat depression and anxiety disorders. Based on the notion that the depressive states involve hypercholinergic tone, we have examined the potential palliative role of NNR antagonism in these disorders, using TC-5214 (S-(+) enantiomer of mecamylamine), a noncompetitive NNR antagonist. TC-5214 demonstrated positive effects in a number of animal models of depression and anxiety.

Adsorption of matrix metalloproteinases onto biomedical polymers: a new aspect in biological acceptance.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are zinc-dependent enzymes involved in the remodelling of connective tissues during the development and wound healing. Moreover, two MMPs, Gelatinase A (MMP-2) and Gelatinase B (MMP-9), are also present in body fluids such as blood and urine and, therefore, they can be in contact with implanted biomaterials and can be adsorbed onto their surface. In order to test this hypothesis disks of different polymers (polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), poly(D,L-lactide) (PLA), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA)) have been exposed to human plasma and adsorbed proteins have been eluted and analyzed.

Functionalization of a poly(D,L)lactic acid surface with galactose to improve human keratinocyte behavior for artificial epidermis.

The production of artificial epidermis using reabsorbable polymeric matrices is one of possible goals; one of most used strategies in this field is the polymer substrate functionalitation using specific growth factors, in order to accelerate and improve keratinocyte adhesion and proliferation. In this study films of poly(D,L)lactide (P(D,L)LA), have been functionalized with various concentrations of galactose (GAL, 1-5-10%, w/v) conjugated with poly-L-lysine (PLL) using 1-etil-3-(3-diaminopropil) carbodiimide (EDC) as a coupling agent. GAL is a disaccharide present in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and it is bind by Galectines, a family of cell receptors whose activation regulate the cell-matrix interaction and cell growth and apoptosis.