Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A最新文献

{"title":"Decellularised Cartilage-Based Hydrogels Functionalised With Chondroitin Sulphate and Quercetin: The Impact on Chondrogenesis","authors":"Nuno Da Silva Rosa,&nbsp;Nuno Neves,&nbsp;Michael Gelinsky,&nbsp;Susana Gomes Santos,&nbsp;Anne Bernhardt,&nbsp;Mário Adolfo Barbosa","doi":"10.1002/jbm.a.37999","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbm.a.37999","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine approaches are being actively developed for degenerative disorders, including osteoarthritis (OA). Decellularized matrix (dECM) is a promising biomaterial; however, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) loss during decellularization limits its chondrogenic potential. In this study, we aimed to overcome this by developing a dECM hydrogel originating from cartilage, functionalized with the GAG chondroitin sulphate (CS), to replenish those originally depleted and incorporating quercetin to enhance hydrogel properties and chondrogenesis. An optimized decellularization protocol efficiently removed DNA, but with a significant loss of GAGs (73%). After dECM solubilization, functionalization with CS or aldehyde modified CS (mCS) was performed. CS-functionalized hydrogels maintained low stiffness compared to non-functionalized hydrogel, while 0.2 mg/mL mCS hydrogels exhibited significantly slower gelation kinetics. To aid the hydrogel's chondrogenic ability, a novel approach using quercetin was investigated. Incorporation of 0.3 mg/mL quercetin in 0.4 mg/mL mCS-functionalized hydrogels resulted in increased gel stiffness. The impact on cell viability and chondrogenic differentiation was evaluated. Results showed similar cell viability in dECM and CS-functionalized hydrogels at 1 and 3 days of culture, with no significant changes in gene expression of chondrogenic and hypertrophic genes. In quercetin-containing hydrogels, the viability of human dermal fibroblasts was not significantly different from non-functionalized hydrogels, while human chondrocytes showed a significant upregulation of collagen type II, with 6.6- and 2.2-fold increases for 0.15 and 0.3 mg/mL quercetin, respectively. These results provide an initial proof-of-concept for dECM functionalization strategies that restore lost CS while incorporating quercetin, creating a microenvironment favorable for cartilage repair.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":15142,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A","volume":"113 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145214657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Triamcinolone Acetonide (TCA)-Loaded Biodegradable Microspheres Improve Therapeutic Outcomes in Thyroid-Associated Ophthalmopathy (TAO) by Reducing Fibrosis and Adipogenesis","authors":"Bingyu Xie,&nbsp;Wei Xiong,&nbsp;Feng Zhang,&nbsp;Jiamin Cao,&nbsp;Changci Chenzhao,&nbsp;Xiangdong Chen","doi":"10.1002/jbm.a.38000","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbm.a.38000","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is an inflammatory orbital disease linked to thyroid dysfunction, leading to fibrosis and adipogenesis, which compromise visual acuity and quality of life. Triamcinolone acetonide (TCA) is effective in managing inflammation; however, it is limited by delivery challenges and side effects. This study evaluates TCA-loaded biodegradable microspheres (TCA@MS) as a controlled-release system to improve TCA's therapeutic efficacy in TAO. It was hypothesized that TCA@MS would enhance drug uptake, reduce fibrosis, and inhibit adipogenesis in TAO models. The TCA@MS was prepared and characterized for drug loading and release, showing 95% release within 7 days. The average diameter of TCA@MS is approximately 365 nm. The TCA@MS demonstrated a drug loading efficiency of approximately 10% and an encapsulation efficiency of around 55%. In vitro, TCA@MS enhanced TCA uptake, reduced fibrosis marker levels, and inhibited adipogenic differentiation in transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1)-induced human orbital fibroblasts (OFs). In vivo, TCA@MS intraorbital injection treatment of TAO mice decreased adipose tissue, inflammatory cell infiltration, and collagen deposition more effectively than free TCA intraorbital injection treatment. The fibrosis (CTGF, collagen I), proliferative marker (ki-67), and adipogenesis markers (PPARγ) were also downregulated by TCA@MS treatment in TAO mice. These findings suggest that TCA@MS offers a promising delivery system for localized treatment of TAO, providing sustained therapeutic effects with reduced adverse outcomes.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":15142,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A","volume":"113 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145208779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biochemical and Biophysical Properties of Extracellular Matrix Nanofibers Modulate iPSC-Derived Human Hepatocyte Maturation","authors":"Yang Yuan,&nbsp;Liszt C. Madruga,&nbsp;Kristen Y. Cotton,&nbsp;Matt J. Kipper,&nbsp;Salman R. Khetani","doi":"10.1002/jbm.a.37998","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbm.a.37998","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Human liver models grown in the lab are used for testing drug metabolism and toxicity, studying liver diseases, and developing new therapies. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) provide a renewable alternative to scarce primary human hepatocytes (PHHs), but they remain functionally immature compared to adult liver cells. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a key regulator of liver cell behavior, yet how its biochemical makeup, stiffness, and structural organization work together to influence HLC maturation is not well understood. Here, we engineered electrospun nanofibers from collagen I, chitosan, porcine liver ECM (PLECM), and blends of these materials. Over 3 weeks of differentiation, HLCs cultured on ECM nanofibers showed more advanced functional maturation than those grown on standard Geltrex-coated substrates. Importantly, chitosan/collagen nanofibers promoted greater HLC function than either hydrogels of similar stiffness or proteins adsorbed to glass, highlighting the importance of nanoscale topography. By contrast, stiffer polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers of comparable size failed to enhance HLC maturation, a result linked to higher nuclear activity of the mechanosensor Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP). These findings demonstrate that ECM nanofibers drive more mature iPSC-HLCs and advance the development of predictive human liver models for drug discovery, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine.</p>","PeriodicalId":15142,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A","volume":"113 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jbm.a.37998","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145208776","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biodegradable Piezoelectric Zinc Oxide Composite Scaffolds Affect Mesenchymal Stem Cell Osteochondral Differentiation Under Mechanical Loading","authors":"A. Khader,&nbsp;A. Limaye,&nbsp;T. L. Arinzeh","doi":"10.1002/jbm.a.37989","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbm.a.37989","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Bone and cartilage tissue have known piezoelectric properties, which means the tissues can generate electrical activity in response to mechanical deformation. Piezoelectricity may be an important physical cue for regenerating tissues. However, biodegradable, biocompatible piezoelectric materials that can be used as tissue engineering scaffolds are limited. In this study, a biodegradable, piezoelectric scaffold was developed where zinc oxide (ZnO), which has known piezoelectric properties, was fabricated into a 3-D fibrous scaffold consisting of polycaprolactone (PCL), a slow-degrading biopolymer, with embedded ZnO nanoparticles (10 wt.%). The ZnO-PCL scaffold was then corona poled in order to improve its piezoelectric activity. The d₃₃ piezoelectric coefficient was 0.21 + 0.05 pC/N for poled ZnO-PCL scaffold. ZnO-PCL and ZnO-PCL-poled composite scaffolds were investigated for promoting human mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) growth and differentiation while subjected to physiological loading without inductive factors in the culture media. Comparisons were made with a PCL control scaffold. Under dynamic compression conditions, the ZnO-PCL group had higher cell growth and promoted chondrogenic differentiation as demonstrated by significantly higher collagen type II and GAG production and gene expression for Sox-9 as compared to PCL control and ZnO-PCL-poled scaffolds, whereas MSCs on ZnO-PCL-poled scaffolds underwent osteogenic differentiation as indicated by significantly higher collagen type I and VEGF-A production. Cells on ZnO-PCL-poled scaffolds also had alkaline phosphatase activity, although not significantly different from the PCL control and ZnO-PCL groups. This study demonstrates ZnO composite scaffolds hold promise as a tissue engineering strategy for osteochondral tissue engineering.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":15142,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A","volume":"113 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145194262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanisms of Osteoblast-Like Cells and Bacterial Responses to Copper in Titanium-Copper Alloys","authors":"Javeria Khalid,&nbsp;Abish S. Stephen,&nbsp;Simon C. F. Rawlinson,&nbsp;Robert P. Allaker","doi":"10.1002/jbm.a.37991","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbm.a.37991","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Titanium-copper (Ti-Cu) alloys are gaining attention for their dual functionality in promoting osteogenesis while providing antimicrobial protection, making them ideal candidates for dental and orthopedic implants. Copper's ability to enhance bone cell activity and inhibit bacterial growth could help address two critical challenges: successful osseointegration and the prevention of peri-implant infections. This study investigated the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which copper, when incorporated into titanium alloys, stimulates both pro-osteogenic behavior and inhibits bacterial viability. MG-63 osteoblast-like cells were cultured on Ti-5Cu alloy surfaces, and osteogenic activity was assessed through alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, collagen deposition, and mineralization assays. Gene expression analysis using qPCR and protein expression via band densitometry provided insights into key pathways, including copper homeostasis and bone matrix formation. The antimicrobial effects of Ti-5Cu were evaluated against common pathogens such as <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, as well as oral bacteria such as <i>Streptococcus oralis</i> and <i>Fusobacterium nucleatum</i>. Bacterial gene expression was analyzed using qPCR and RNA sequencing. Osteoblast-like cells cultured on Ti-5Cu surfaces showed enhanced ALP activity, increased collagen production, and significant gene upregulation of RUNX2, Osteonectin, Alkaline phosphatase, and BMP-2, driving bone matrix formation. Copper homeostasis proteins, such as CTR1 and ATP7A/ATP7B, were modulated to prevent cytotoxicity while supporting osteogenesis. Ti-5Cu alloys also exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial effects, significantly reducing bacterial viability. In <i>S. oralis</i>, stress response genes, CsoR and SOD, were upregulated in response to copper exposure, indicating oxidative stress and disruption of copper homeostasis. Transcriptome analysis found that the alloys induce oxidative stress and disrupt metal homeostasis in commensal bacteria such as <i>S. oralis</i> and <i>Actinomyces naeslundii</i>. The study demonstrates that Ti-5Cu alloys effectively promote osteoblast differentiation and mineralization while preventing bacterial colonization through copper-induced stress responses. These findings support the potential of Ti-5Cu alloys for clinical applications, particularly in dental implants, where both regenerative bone formation and infection prevention are critical for long-term success.</p>","PeriodicalId":15142,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A","volume":"113 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jbm.a.37991","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145194260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Field-Emitted Silver Ions at Atmospheric Pressure: Antibacterial Activity and Penetration Into Artificial Skin","authors":"Yusuke Daiko,&nbsp;Mayuka Akiyama,&nbsp;Kenta Matsuoka,&nbsp;Daisuke Urushihara,&nbsp;Akiko Obata","doi":"10.1002/jbm.a.37995","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbm.a.37995","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Silver (Ag⁺) ions are field-emitted under atmospheric pressure from a sharpened Ag⁺ ion-conductive glass by applying a high voltage. This study investigates the antibacterial efficacy of emitted Ag⁺ ions. When Ag⁺ ions are irradiated onto hydroxyapatite (HAP) for 5 min, an antibacterial effect against <i>Escherichia coli</i> is clearly observed. Furthermore, Ag⁺ ion irradiation directly into the <i>E. coli</i> suspension results in a significant reduction in viable <i>E. coli</i> after 24 h of incubation, compared to immediately after ion irradiation. Although Ag⁺ ions are expected to rapidly lose energy upon collision with air molecules, penetration exceeding 100 μm into the hydrated agar gel is confirmed. When Ag⁺ ions are irradiated onto the surface of an artificial skin (3D reconstructed human epidermis model), fungal cells located beneath the skin are successfully eliminated. These results demonstrate, for the first time, that field-emitted Ag⁺ ions under atmospheric conditions exhibit potent antimicrobial activity.</p>","PeriodicalId":15142,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A","volume":"113 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jbm.a.37995","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145139324","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Carrier-Free Nanomaterials Simultaneously Combat Infection and Inflammation for Enhanced Diabetic Wound Healing","authors":"Ke Wang,&nbsp;Jue Zhang,&nbsp;Bing Han,&nbsp;Youyou Xu,&nbsp;Jiayue Xu,&nbsp;Fuhong Yuan,&nbsp;Lei Wang,&nbsp;Jianwei Zhu","doi":"10.1002/jbm.a.37996","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jbm.a.37996","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Diabetic wound ulcers, characterized by chronic infection and persistent inflammation, significantly impair patient quality of life and present substantial socioeconomic burdens. Traditional therapeutic strategies frequently encounter challenges, including antibiotic resistance, systemic side effects, and inadequate control over localized inflammation. We herein developed novel carrier-free nanoparticles (CeCur NPs) by self-assembling chlorin e6 (Ce6) and curcumin, achieving simultaneous photodynamic antibacterial activity and sustained anti-inflammatory effects. CeCur NPs exhibited effective and synergetic anti-bacteria and anti-inflammation both in vitro and in vivo. Comprehensive biosafety evaluations further confirmed the excellent biocompatibility of CeCur NPs, underscoring their potential as a promising therapeutic strategy for accelerating diabetic wound healing.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":15142,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A","volume":"113 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145146760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antifungal Activity, Cytocompatibility, and Wound Healing Potential of Novel Mucoadhesive Formulations for Oral Drug Delivery","authors":"Carolina Yoshi Campos Sugio,&nbsp;Victor Martin,&nbsp;Lídia Maria Diogo Gonçalves,&nbsp;Priscileila Coleto Ferrari,&nbsp;Vanessa Migliorini Urban,&nbsp;Karin Hermana Neppelenbroek,&nbsp;Maria Helena Fernandes","doi":"10.1002/jbm.a.37990","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jbm.a.37990","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Conventional treatments for oral candidiasis often fail due to the complexities of the oral environment and the increasing antifungal drug resistance. Therefore, there is a growing demand for new therapies that optimize drug bioavailability, allowing for lower therapeutic doses while enhancing cytocompatibility, maintaining antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing efficacy. This study investigated the antifungal activity, cytocompatibility, wound healing potential, and mucosal adhesion of novel mucoadhesive formulations containing nystatin (NYS) or chlorhexidine (CHX) complexed with β-cyclodextrin (βCD), compared with the drug-free formulation (GEL) and the standard treatment with 2% miconazole gel (DK—Daktarin). Efficacy against <i>Candida albicans</i> was evaluated by measuring the metabolic activity, whereas cytocompatibility with human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) was analyzed for viability, morphology, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and apoptosis. Additionally, wound healing potential was investigated by assessing cell migration efficacy, anti-inflammatory activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity. Mucoadhesion was evaluated using mucin discs and a texture analyzer. Mucoadhesive gels containing βCD-complexed NYS or CHX exhibited significantly higher antifungal activity when compared to the GEL and DK groups (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Compared to fibroblast control cultures, those exposed to drug-complexed gels exhibited similar viability (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.05) and morphological parameters, lower LDH release (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), and similar apoptosis rates (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.05). Additionally, exposure to the βCD-modified gels was associated with complete wound closure (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.05), significant anti-inflammatory effect, with downregulation of pro-inflammatory gene expression (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), and higher ROS scavenging activity (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). The developed formulations showed no difference in mucoadhesiveness (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.05), which was superior to that of DK (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Therefore, the proposed drug-complexed mucoadhesives are promising therapeutic options for oral candidiasis.</p>","PeriodicalId":15142,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A","volume":"113 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jbm.a.37990","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145110665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantitative Analysis of Glutathione Utilizing Highly Luminescent Gold Nanoclusters","authors":"Wen He,&nbsp;Yanping Qu,&nbsp;Shukai Wu,&nbsp;Soh Fong Lim,&nbsp;Ling Mo,&nbsp;Hongyu Mou,&nbsp;Jibin Song","doi":"10.1002/jbm.a.37988","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jbm.a.37988","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Glutathione (GSH), a pivotal regulator of cellular redox homeostasis, requires precise monitoring for clinical diagnostics. This work develops bovine serum albumin-templated gold nanoclusters (BSA-AuNCs) through in situ chloroauric acid reduction, exhibiting orange fluorescence (<i>λ</i>_em = 610 nm) with 35.8% quantum yield. Systematic evaluation of pH-dependent and time-resolved quenching behavior revealed optimal GSH detection at physiological pH 7.4 within 3 min. The nanozyme demonstrated linear responsivity from 10 nM to 3 μM (Limit of Detection, LOD = 8.7 nM) and validated applicability in biological matrices (urine/serum) with 98.0%–103.3% recovery rates. This photoluminescent platform enables reliable GSH biomarker quantification, advancing point-of-care testing for oxidative stress disorders.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":15142,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A","volume":"113 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145110897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanochromic Polyurethane Shape Memory Polymer for Biomedical Applications","authors":"Thalma Orado,&nbsp;Bethany Yashkus,&nbsp;Richard Chandardat,&nbsp;Samantha Zysk,&nbsp;Zachary J. Geffert,&nbsp;Ernest Emmanuel Obeng,&nbsp;Xiaocun Lu,&nbsp;Pranav Soman,&nbsp;Mary Beth B. Monroe","doi":"10.1002/jbm.a.37979","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jbm.a.37979","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The incorporation of functional molecular switches into smart materials imparts dynamic material properties, gaining deeper insight into how molecular structure affects the functionality of these materials and aiding the development of novel sensor devices. To enable mechanochromic biomaterials capable of sensing shape changes, we explored the incorporation of spiropyran (SP) mechanophores into a polyurethane (PUR) shape memory polymer (SMP). SPs reversibly generate variations in fluorescence and visual colors due to conversion from inactivated SP to activated merocyanine (MC) in response to force. We hypothesized that SP-containing PUR (PUR-SP) could undergo simultaneous shape and color changes. Small quantities of SP were dissolved in control PUR solutions with different hard-to-soft segment ratios, and PUR-SP films were formed by solvent-casting. The effect of SP incorporation on material properties, including mechanical, shape memory, thermal, and cytocompatibility, was studied. Mechanochromic behavior was analyzed by straining the films and imaging using a camera and fluorescence microscopy. We also employed a previously developed bacterial protease-responsive PUR SMP to confirm that SP incorporation enables simultaneous shape and color changes in the presence of bacteria. Strained samples showed increased fluorescence (up to 56%, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), which was reversed upon shape recovery. Mechanochromic behavior was affected by the hard-to-soft segment ratio of the PUR, SP concentration, and strain percentage. Bacteria-responsive PURs with SP showed reduction in fluorescence and complete biofilm removal after incubation with <i>Staphylococcus</i> <i>aureus</i> for 24 h, which conveyed the potential to use SP in PURs as a molecular force probe with color-based bacteria detection. This technology could be expanded to include a range of other stimuli-responsive functionalities in future work to enable shape and color changes based on environmental cues.</p>","PeriodicalId":15142,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A","volume":"113 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jbm.a.37979","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145110841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}