Daureen Schol

Biointerface multiparametric study of intraocular lens acrylic materials.

Purpose To compare hydrophilic and hydrophobic acrylic materials designed for intraocular lenses in a multiparametric investigation in a liquid environment to highlight their properties in terms of adhesion forces, lens epithelial cell (LEC) adhesion, and tissue response as indicators of the risk for posterior capsule opacification (PCO) development. Setting University of Liège, Liège, Belgium. Design Experimental study. Methods The hydrophobicity and surface adhesion force were assessed using contact‐angle and atomic force microscopy measurements. The bioadhesiveness of the disks and the tissue response were determined by in vitro experiments using bovine serum albumin and porcine LECs and by in vivo rabbit subcutaneous implantation, respectively. Results Increasing surface hydrophobicity led to a greater surface‐adhesion force and greater LEC adhesion. After 1 month, the rabbit subcutaneous implants showed a similar thin layer of fibrous capsule surrounding the disks without extensive inflammation. A layer of rounded cells in contact with disks was detected on the hydrophobic samples only. Conclusions Hydrophobic acrylic disks that have been associated with a reduced risk for PCO in clinical studies showed increased tackiness. Financial Disclosures Proprietary or commercial disclosures are listed after the references.

In vitro investigations of smart drug delivery systems based on redox-sensitive cross-linked micelles.

Redox-sensitive micelles are designed by using block copolymers of different architectures composed of a hydrophilic block of poly(ethylene oxide), and hydrophobic blocks of poly(ϵ-caprolactone) and poly(α-azide-ϵ-caprolactone). Stability of these micelles is insured in diluted media by cross-linking their core via the addition of a bifunctional cross-linker, while redox sensitivity is provided to these micelles by inserting a disulfide bridge in the cross-linker. The potential of these responsive micelles to be used as nanocarriers is studied in terms of cytotoxicity and cellular internalization. The release profiles are also investigated by varying the environment reductive strength.

Anti-PSMA antibody-coupled gold nanorods detection by optical and electron microscopies

While cancer is one of the greatest challenges to public health care, prostate cancer was chosen as cancer model to develop a more accurate imaging assessment than those currently available. Indeed, an efficient imaging technique which considerably improves the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic and predicting the cancer behavior would be extremely valuable. The concept of optoacoustic imaging using home-made functionalized gold nanoparticles coupled to an antibody targeting PSMA (prostate specific membrane antigen) was evaluated on different cancer cell lines to demonstrate the specificity of the designed platform. Two commonly used microscopy techniques (indirect fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy) showed their straightforwardness and versatility for the nanoparticle binding investigations regardless the composition of the investigated nanoobjects. Moreover most of the research laboratories and centers are equipped with fluorescence microscopes, so indirect fluorescence using Quantum dots can be used for any active targeting nanocarriers (polymers, ceramics, metals, etc.). The second technique based on backscattered electron is not only limited to gold nanoparticles but also suits for any study of metallic nanoparticles as the electronic density difference between the nanoparticles and binding surface stays high enough. Optoacoustic imaging was finally performed on a 3D cellular model to assess and prove the concept of the developed platform.

In vitro investigations of smart drug delivery systems based on redox-sensitive cross-linked micelles

Redox-sensitive micelles are designed by using block copolymers of different architectures composed of a hydrophilic block of poly(ethylene oxide), and hydrophobic blocks of poly(ϵ-caprolactone) and poly(α-azide-ϵ-caprolactone). Stability of these micelles is insured in diluted media by cross-linking their core via the addition of a bifunctional cross-linker, while redox sensitivity is provided to these micelles by inserting a disulfide bridge in the cross-linker. The potential of these responsive micelles to be used as nanocarriers is studied in terms of cytotoxicity and cellular internalization. The release profiles are also investigated by varying the environment reductive strength.