1. Bioactive bacterial nanocellulose membranes for non-surgical debridement and infection prevention in burn wound healingUrška Jančič, Isabella Nacu, Liliana Vereştiuc, Fiorenza Rancan, Selestina Gorgieva, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Novel bioactive bacterial nanocellulose (BnC) membranes were developed for effective, non-surgical debridement and infection-prevention in burn wound healing. Membranes were modified in situ with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and ex situ with the proteolytic enzyme bromelain (Br) and antimicrobial peptide nisin (N). Post-processing into stable cellulose nanocrystal dispersions (ζ = -26 mV), enables assembly of model films for demonstration of high, irreversible bromelain (95 %) and nisin (99.5 %) adsorption. The BnC-CMC and BnC-CMC-N membranes were in vitro cytocompatible for HaCaT cells and induced faster cell proliferation with cell viability exceeding 100 % after 24 h incubation. The innovative aspect of this study lies in the ex vivo evaluation using an advanced human skin explant model with induced burns, providing a realistic, physiologically relevant assessment of membrane performance. Ex vivo experiments indicated the cytocompatibility of the BnC-CMC membrane with no acute toxicity or skin irritation, while nisin presence resulted in moderate irritating effect. Notably, the BnC-CMC-Br membrane showed digestion of intercellular junctions in the epidermis, while not inducing acute toxicity and skin irritation. By leveraging this innovative ex vivo human skin model in novel BnC-based membranes testing, the study provides a crucial translational step, bridging in vitro assessments and clinical applications for burn wound treatment. Ključne besede: bacterial nanocellulose, Bromelain, Nisin, Carboxymethyl cellulose, antimicrobial function, bioactive, burn wound treatment Objavljeno v DKUM: 01.04.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 6
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2. Nisin-loaded gelatin microparticles for the enhanced bioactivity of bacterial nanocelluloseMaša Hren, Janja Trček, Aleksandra Šakanović, Hristina Obradović, Mateja Erdani-Kreft, Silvo Hribernik, Selestina Gorgieva, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Bacterial nanocellulose (BnC) is of immense importance in medicine, although its lack of bioactivity present intriguing issue. We propose a method to modify BnC with gelatin and nisin biomolecules, and explore their synergistic effect on the antimicrobial activity. Gelatin microparticles (without/with nisin loading) with a size ~0.5 μm and ~ 1.3 μm were prepared by spray drying and stabilised by dehydrothermal treatment. Modified BnC-based membranes supported the formation of biologically relevant minerals and were non-cytotoxic to human gingival fibroblast cells (HGF). The presence of gelatin microparticles improved the viability of HGF by approximately 20 %, due to the effect of gelatin alone, independent of the addition of nisin. BnC coated with a nisin/gelatin solution reduces the viability of HGF by about 20 %, but this negative effect is not observed by nisin coated gelatin microparticles. The cell viability of BnC membranes was above 90 % in both porcine and human urothelial cells. The antimicrobial activity study confirmed an inhibitory effect of membranes modified with nisin-coated microparticles or a gelatin/nisin solution against Staphylococcus aureus at a non-cytotoxic nisin dose (150 μg/mL). The study demonstrates the structural effects of gelatin and gelatin/nisin mixtures on the bioactivity of BnC and provides a rationale for the modification procedure. Ključne besede: bacterial nanocellulose, gelatin, nisin, spray-drying, antimicrobial function, bioactivity Objavljeno v DKUM: 10.03.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 8
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3. Isolation and characterization of nanocellulose from Polypodiophyta fern using chemo-mechanical methodKatja Vasić, Monika Dokl, Željko Knez, Maja Leitgeb, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Nanocellulose is considered a promising and sustainable biomaterial, with excellent properties of biorenewability with improved mechanical properties. As a unique natural biopolymer, it has been applied to many different industries, where efficient and environmentally friendly productions are in demand. For the first time, ferns from the class Polypodiopsida were used for the isolation of cellulose fibers, which was performed using a chemo-mechanical method. As chemical treatment plays a crucial role in the isolation of nanocellulose, it affects the efficiency of the extraction process, as well as the properties of the resulting nanocellulose. Therefore, mechanical fibrillation was performed via grinding, while the chemical process consisted of three different treatments: alkali treatment, bleaching, and acid hydrolysis. In three different experiments, each treatment was separately prolonged to investigate the differing properties of isolated nanocellulose. Structural analysis and morphological analysis were investigated by SEM, EDS, FT-IR, and DLS. The thermal stability of cellulose fibers was investigated by TGA/DSC. The morphology of obtained nanocellulose was confirmed via SEM analysis for all samples, with particles ranging from 20 nm up to 600 nm, while the most consistent sizes were observed for NC3, ranging from 20 to 60 nm. FT-IR spectra showed prominent absorption peaks corresponding to cellulose, as well as the absence of absorption peaks, corresponding to lignin and hemicellulose. The EDS confirmed the elemental purity of nanocellulose, while TGA/DSC indicated higher thermal stability of nanocellulose, compared to untreated fern, which started to degrade earlier than nanocellulose. Such characteristics with unique properties make nanocellulose a versatile biomaterial for the industrial production of cellulosic materials. Ključne besede: nanocellulose, isolation, Polypodiophyta fern, chemo-mechanical method, biomaterial, biopolymers Objavljeno v DKUM: 31.01.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 3
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4. Antibacterial Komagataeibacter hansenii nanocellulose membranes with avocado seed bioactive compoundsKaja Kupnik, Mateja Primožič, Vanja Kokol, Željko Knez, Maja Leitgeb, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Ključne besede: bacterial nanocellulose membrane, avocado seed extracts, extraction, swelling, release, antibacterial activity Objavljeno v DKUM: 23.08.2024; Ogledov: 70; Prenosov: 8
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5. 3D-printed anisotropic nanofiber composites with gradual mechanical propertiesFlorian Lackner, Ivan Knechtl, Maximilian Novak, Chandran Nagaraj, Andreja Dobaj-Štiglic, Rupert Kargl, Andrea Olschewski, Karin Stana-Kleinschek, Tamilselvan Mohan, 2023, izvirni znanstveni članek Ključne besede: 3D printing, anisotropy nanocomposites, biomedical applications, mechanical properties, nanocellulose alginate Objavljeno v DKUM: 03.06.2024; Ogledov: 132; Prenosov: 15
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6. Slot‑die coating of cellulose nanocrystals and chitosan for improved barrier properties of paperYlenia Ruberto, Vera Vivod, Janja Juhant Grkman, Gregor Lavrič, Claudia Graiff, Vanja Kokol, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and chitosan (Cht) have been studied extensively for oxygen and water vapour barrier coatings in biodegradable, compostable or recyclable paper packaging. However, rare studies have been performed by using scalable, inexpensive, and fast continuous slot-die coating processes, and none yet in combination with fast' and high-throughput near-infrared (NIR) light energy drying. In this frame, we studied the feasibility of a moderately concentrated (11 wt%) anionic CNC and (2 wt%) cationic Cht coating (both containing 20 wt% sorbitol related to the weight of CNC/Cht), by using plain and pigment pre-treated papers. The effect of coating parameters (injection speed, dry thickness settings) were investigated on coating quantity (dry weight, thickness) and homogeneity (coverage), papers' structure (thickness, grammage, density), whiteness, surface wettability, barrier (air, oxygen and water vapour) properties and adhesion (surface strength). The coating homogeneity was dependent primarily on the suspensions' viscosity, and secondarily on the applied coating parameters, whereby CNCs could be applied at 1–2 times higher injection speeds (up to 80 mL/min) and versatile coating weights, but required a relatively longer time to dry. The CNCs thus exhibited outstanding air (4.2–1.5 nm/Pa s) and oxygen (2.7–1.1 cm3 mm/m2 d kPa) barrier performance at 50% RH and 22–33 g/m2 deposition, whereas on top deposited Cht (3–4 g/m2) reduced its wetting time and improved the water vapour barrier (0.23–0.28 g mm/m2 d Pa). The balanced barrier properties were achieved due to the polar characteristic of CNCs, the hydrophobic nature of Cht and the quantity of the applied bilayer coating that can provide sustainable paper-based packaging. Ključne besede: paper, nanocellulose, chitosan, slot‑die coating, near-infrared (NIR) drying, barrier properties Objavljeno v DKUM: 06.05.2024; Ogledov: 227; Prenosov: 18
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7. Native cellulose nanofibrills induce immune tolerance in vitro by acting on dendritic cellsSergej Tomić, Vanja Kokol, Dušan Mihajlović, Aleksandar Mirčić, Miodrag Čolić, 2016, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Cellulose nanofibrills (CNFs) are attractive biocompatible, natural nanomaterials for wide biomedical applications. However, the immunological mechanisms of CNFs have been poorly investigated. Considering that dendritic cells (DCs) are the key immune regulatory cells in response to nanomaterials, our aim was to investigate the immunological mechanisms of CNFs in a model of DC-mediated immune response. We found that non-toxic concentrations of CNFs impaired the differentiation, and subsequent maturation of human monocyte-derived (mo)-DCs. In a co-culture with CD4+T cells, CNF-treated mo-DCs possessed a weaker allostimulatory and T helper (Th)1 and Th17 polarizing capacity, but a stronger capacity to induce Th2 cells and CD4+CD25hiFoxP3hi regulatory T cells. This correlated with an increased immunoglobulin-like transcript-4 and indolamine dioxygenase-1 expression by CNF-treated mo-DCs, following the partial internalization of CNFs and the accumulation of CD209 and actin bundles at the place of contacts with CNFs. Cumulatively, we showed that CNFs are able to induce an active immune tolerance by inducing tolerogenic DCs, which could be beneficial for the application of CNFs in wound healing and chronic inflammation therapies. Ključne besede: nanocellulose, cytotoxicity, T-cell proliferation, cytokine production, in vitro Objavljeno v DKUM: 23.06.2017; Ogledov: 1538; Prenosov: 392
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