Sustained release of vancomycin from bacterial cellulose membrane as dural substitutes for anti-inflammatory wound closure in rabbits

Abstract

To reduce the incidence of infection after craniocerebral operation, a type of bacterial cellulose, which can be used as a promising vehicle for the sustained release of vancomycin bacterial cellulose, was implanted in the rabbit with a dural defect. We manufactured artificial dura mater using bacterial cellulose that was fermented and incubated in Acetobacter xylinum. After bacterial cellulose membrane and vancomycin were heated to boiling in anhydrous ethanol, the decompressive, antimicrobial nature, physical properties, drug release in vitro and bacteriostasis of sustained release of vancomycin were tested. Then, the inflammatory effects and histocompatibility of both materials were examined by immunohistochemistry, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot. It shows that the sustained release of vancomycin bacterial cellulose has good elasticity and pressure compliance. Sustained release of vancomycin bacterial cellulose can release vancomycin smoothly and slowly in normal saline from 12 to 203 h. The concentration increases at first for 131 h and then remains unchanged with another 72 h. Sustained release of vancomycin bacterial cellulose can inhibit the colon formation of Staphylococcus aureus for about 120 h. The antibacterial tests showed that sustained release of vancomycin bacterial cellulose can inhibit the colon formation of S. aureus for about 120 h, while control standard paper can inhibit the colon formation of S. aureus for only 72 h. The levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α along with cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase were higher in the normal bacterial cellulose group than the sustained release of vancomycin bacterial cellulose group seven days after implantation. These data indicated that the sustained release of vancomycin bacterial cellulose can improve the central system infection after implantation effectively.