Stefania Mazzitelli

Microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip preparation routes for organic nanoparticles and vesicular systems for nanomedicine applications.

In recent years, advancements in the fields of microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip technologies have provided unique opportunities for the implementation of nanomaterial production processes owing to the miniaturisation of the fluidic environment. It has been demonstrated that microfluidic reactors offer a range of advantages compared to conventional batch reactors, including improved controllability and uniformity of nanomaterial characteristics. In addition, the fast mixing achieved within microchannels, and the predictability of the laminar flow conditions, can be leveraged to investigate the nanomaterial formation dynamics. In this article recent developments in the field of microfluidic production of nanomaterials for drug delivery applications are reviewed. The features that make microfluidic reactors a suitable technological platform are discussed in terms of controllability of nanomaterials production. An overview of the various strategies developed for the production of organic nanoparticles and colloidal assemblies is presented, focusing on those nanomaterials that could have an impact on nanomedicine field such as drug nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, liposomes, polymersomes, polyplexes and hybrid nanoparticles. The effect of microfluidic environment on nanomaterials formation dynamics, as well as the use of microdevices as tools for nanomaterial investigation is also discussed.

Production and Characterization of Alginate Microcapsules Produced by a Vibrational Encapsulation Device

The optimization, through a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach, of a microencapsulation procedure for isolated neonatal porcine islets (NPI) is described. The applied method is based on the generation of monodisperse droplets by a vibrational nozzle. An alginate/polyornithine encapsulation procedure, developed and validated in our laboratory for almost a decade, was used to embody pancreatic islets. We analyzed different experimental parameters including frequency of vibration, amplitude of vibration, polymer pumping rate, and distance between the nozzle and the gelling bath. We produced calcium—alginate gel microbeads with excellent morphological characteristics as well as a very narrow size distribution. The automatically produced microcapsules did not alter morphology, viability and functional properties of the enveloped NPI. The optimization of this automatic procedure may provide a novel approach to obtain a large number of batches possibly suitable for large scale production of immunoisolated NPI for in vivo cell transplantation procedures in humans.

Production and characterization of engineered alginate-based microparticles containing ECM powder for cell/tissue engineering applications

A method for the production of engineered alginate-based microparticles, containing extracellular matrix and neonatal porcine Sertoli cells (SCs), is described. As a source for extracellular matrix, a powder form of isolated and purified urinary bladder matrix (UBM) was employed. We demonstrated that the incorporation of UBM does not significantly alter the morphological and dimensional characteristics of the microparticles. The alginate microparticles were used for SC encapsulation as an immunoprotective barrier for transplant purposes, while the co-entrapped UBM promoted retention of cell viability and function. These engineered microparticles could represent a novel approach to enhancing immunological acceptance and increasing the functional life-span of the entrapped cells for cell/tissue engineering applications. In this respect, it is noteworthy that isolated neonatal porcine SCs, administered alone in highly biocompatible microparticles, led to diabetes prevention and reversion in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice.

Induction by TNF-α of IL-6 and IL-8 in Cystic Fibrosis Bronchial IB3-1 Epithelial Cells Encapsulated in Alginate Microbeads

We have developed a microencapsulation procedure for the entrapment and manipulation of IB3-1 cystic fibrosis cells. The applied method is based on generation of monodisperse droplets by a vibrational nozzle. Different experimental parameters were analyzed, including frequency and amplitude of vibration, polymer pumping rate and distance between the nozzle and the gelling bath. We have found that the microencapsulation procedure does not alter the viability of the encapsulated IB3-1 cells. The encapsulated IB3-1 cells were characterized in term of secretomic profile, analyzing the culture medium by Bio-Plex strategy. The experiments demonstrated that most of the analyzed proteins, were secreted both by the free and encapsulated cells, even if in a different extent. In order to determine the biotechnological applications of this procedure, we determined whether encapsulated IB3-1 cells could be induced to pro-inflammatory responses, after treatment with TNF-α. In this experimental set-up, encapsulated and free IB3-1 cells were treated with TNF-α, thereafter the culture media from both cell populations were collected. As expected, TNF-α induced a sharp increase in the secretion of interleukins, chemokines and growth factors. Of great interest was the evidence that induction of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 occurs also by encapsulated IB3-1 cells.

Prolongation of skin allograft survival in rats by the transplantation of microencapsulated xenogeneic neonatal porcine Sertoli cells.

Skin rejection remains a major hurdle in skin reconstructive transplantation surgery. In fact, 85% of the grafted patients experience at least one episode of acute skin rejection in the first year. It has been observed that Sertoli cells (SC), when co-transplanted with allo- or xenogeneic cell/tissues, can induce graft acceptance in the absence of systemic immunosuppression. A method aimed at significantly prolonging skin allografts in rats transplanted with barium alginate-based microencapsulated xenogeneic porcine SC (SC-MCs) is described. Results demonstrated that intraperitoneal (IP) transplantation of SC-MCs with high cellular viability and function can significantly prolong allogeneic skin grafts when compared to transplantation controls receiving only empty alginate capsules (E-MCs). Lymphocytic infiltration at the skin graft site was not observed in 80% of the SC-MCs transplanted rats and these recipient animals showed a significant increased expression of T regulatory (Tregs) cells when compared to E-MCs transplantation controls. The findings of this report further substantiate the positive therapeutic effects of SC on transplantation technology mediated by Sertoli cell-induced alterations of the hosts immune system and indicate new perspectives and new strategies for successful skin tissue allografts.

Production of polymeric micelles by microfluidic technology for combined drug delivery: Application to osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament mesenchymal stem cells (hPDLSCs)

The current paper reports the production of polymeric micelles (PMs), based on pluronic block-copolymers, as drug carriers, precisely controlling the cellular delivery of drugs with various physico-chemical characteristics. PMs were produced with a microfluidic platform to exploit further control on the size characteristic of the PMs. PMs were designed for the co-delivery of dexamethasone (Dex) and ascorbyl-palmitate (AP) to in vitro cultured human periodontal ligament mesenchymal stem cells (hPDLSCs) for the combined induction of osteogenic differentiation. Mixtures of block-copolymers and drugs in organic, water miscible solvent, were conveniently converted in PMs within microfluidic channel leveraging the fast mixing at the microscale. Our results demonstrated that the drugs can be efficiently co-encapsulated in PMs and that different production parameters can be adjusted in order to modulate the PM characteristics. The comparative analysis of PM produced by microfluidic and conventional procedures confirmed that the use of microfluidics platforms allowed the production of PMs in a robust manner with improved controllability, reproducibility, smaller size and polydispersity. Finally, the analysis of the effect of PMs, containing Dex and AP, on the osteogenic differentiation of hPDLSCs is reported. The data demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of PM treatment on hPDLSC. In conclusion, this report indicates that microfluidic approach represents an innovative and useful method for PM controlled preparation, warrant further evaluation as general methodology for the production of colloidal systems for the simultaneous drug delivery.

Human mesenchymal stem cells seeded on extracellular matrix-scaffold: Viability and osteogenic potential

The development and the optimization of novel culture systems of mesenchymal osteoprogenitors are some of the most important challenges in the field of bone tissue engineering (TE). A new combination between cells and extracellular matrix (ECM)‐scaffold, containing ECM has here been analyzed. As source for osteoprogenitors, mesenchymal stem cells obtained from human umbilical cord Whartons Jelly (hWJMSCs), were used. As ECM‐scaffold, a powder form of isolated and purified porcine urinary bladder matrix (pUBM), was employed. The goals of the current work were: (1) the characterization of the in vitro hWJMSCs behavior, in terms of viability, proliferation, and adhesion to ECM‐scaffold; (2) the effectiveness of ECM‐scaffold to induce/modulate the osteoblastic differentiation; and (3) the proposal for a possible application of cells/ECM‐scaffold construct to the field of cell/TE. In this respect, the properties of the pUBM‐scaffold in promoting and guiding the in vitro adhesion, proliferation, and three‐dimensional colonization of hWJMSCs, without altering viability and morphological characteristics of the cells, are here described. Finally, we have also demonstrated that pUBM‐scaffolds positively affect the expression of typical osteoblastic markers in hWJMSCs. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 857–866, 2012.

Encapsulation of eukaryotic cells in alginate microparticles: cell signaling by TNF-alpha through capsular structure of cystic fibrosis cells

Entrapment of mammalian cells in natural or synthetic biomaterials represents an important tool for both basic and applied research in tissue engineering. For instance, the encapsulation procedures allow to physically isolate cells from the surrounding environment, after their transplantation maintaining the normal cellular physiology. The first part of the current paper describes different microencapsulation techniques including bulk emulsion technique, vibrating-nozzle procedure, gas driven mono-jet device protocol and microfluidic based approach. In the second part, the application of a microencapsulation procedure to the embedding of IB3-1 cells is also described. IB3-1 is a bronchial epithelial cell line, derived from a cystic fibrosis (CF) patient. Different experimental parameters of the encapsulation process were analyzed, including frequency and amplitude of vibration, polymer pumping rate and distance between the nozzle and the gelling bath. We have found that the microencapsulation procedure does not alter the viability of the encapsulated IB3-1 cells. The encapsulated IB3-1 cells were characterized in term of protein secretion, analysing the culture medium by Bio-Plex strategy. The analyzed factors include members of the interleukin family (IL-6), chemokines (IL-8 and MCP-1) and growth factors (G-CSF). The experiments demonstrated that most of the analyzed proteins, were secreted both by the free and encapsulated cells, even if in a different extent.

Hydrogel blends with adjustable properties as patches for transdermal delivery.

The effect of different preparation parameters were analyzed with respect to the rheological and pharmaceutical characteristics of hydrogel blend patches, as transdermal delivery formulation. Mixtures of pectin and gelatin were employed for the production of patches, with adjustable properties, following a two-step gelation procedure. The first gelation, a thermal one, is trigged by the presence of gelatin, whereas, the second gelation, an ionic one, is due to the formation of the typical egg box structure of pectin. In particular, the patch structural properties were assessed by oscillation stress sweep measurements which provided information concerning their viscolelastic properties. In addition, different modalities for drug loading were analyzed with respect to drug homogeneous distribution; testosterone was employed as model drug for transdermal administration. Finally, the performances of the produced transdermal patches were studied, in term of reproducibility and reliability, by determination of in vitro drug release profiles.

Delivery of Suramin as an Antiviral Agent through Liposomal Systems

Norovirus RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is a promising target enzyme for the development of new antiviral drugs. Starting from the crystal structure of norovirus RdRp, we had previously performed an in silico docking search using a library of low‐molecular‐weight compounds that enabled us to select molecules with predicted enzyme inhibitory activity. Among these, the polysulfonated naphthylurea suramin proved to inhibit in vitro both murine and human norovirus polymerases, with IC50 values in the low micromolar range. The negatively charged inhibitor, however, displayed poor cell permeability in cell‐based experiments. Therefore, we produced different suramin‐loaded liposome formulations and evaluated their activities in cell‐based assays using murine norovirus cultivated in RAW 264.7 macrophages, as a model for norovirus genus. The results obtained show that suramin, when delivered through liposomes, can effectively inhibit murine norovirus replication.