This paper reports investigations of the cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory effect of drug-releasing free-standing rubbery electrospun fiber mats. These mats were electrospun from a THF-toluene solution of polyisobutylene-based thermoplastic elastomer/poly(ethylene glycol) mixtures. Direct contact and elution cytotoxic assays of these mats showed no cytotoxic response. Electrospinning the polymers mixed with Zafirlukast (ZAF), an anti-inflammatory drug, resulted in complete encapsulation of ZAF into the fibers, without the need of coaxial spinning. Significantly, ZAF-eluting fiber mats successfully inhibited the target cysteinyl leukotriene receptors in vitro, known to reduce inflammation. Local application of these mats could have the potential to reduce capsular contracture, the major complication reported for silicone rubber breast prostheses due to inflammatory response. A recent study using a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) polymer coating with a similar drug demonstrated capsule thickness reduction in vivo, but suggested that higher doses and slower release rates would be more effective. We believe our slower releasing mats with higher loading will be better at mitigating capsular contracture.

Anti-inflammatory effect of drug-eluting electrospun polyisobutylene-based thermoplastic elastomeric fiber mat

255th National Meeting (2018)

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