Barraza Vergara, Luisa F.

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    In vitro assessment of the biological long-term effects of commercial polymers used in wearable devices
    (2023-05-02) Barraza Vergara, Luisa F.; Torres Lugo, Madeline; College of Engineering; Torres García, Wandaliz; Domenech García, Maribella; Department of Chemical Engineering; Vega Olivencia, Carmen A.
    Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly (dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) are considered safe materials for the fabrication of medical devices. Despite their widespread use, these polymers have been attributed to causing inflammatory effects. For this reason, this work aimed to study the biological effects of PMMA and PMDS at non-cytotoxic concentrations using NIH-3T3 cells and Reconstructed human Epidermis (RhE) models. The study included cytotoxicity, The study included cytotoxicity, cell metabolism, cytokine quantification, histopathology, and gene expression analysis. NIH-3T3-based cytotoxicity tests resulted in PMMA MW~5,000 g/mol half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 5.7 mg/cm2, indicating greater detrimental effects than its counterpart (PMMA MW~15,000 g/mol, IC50=14.0 mg/cm2). PMMA at non-cytotoxic concentrations induced a significant decrease in NIH-3T3 mitochondrial respiration. Cell viability was also reduced by more than 90% upon exposure to PMMA degradation by-products. PMMA at non-cytotoxic concentrations induced the secretion/expression of inflammatory cytokines and genes involved in inflammatory processes in the RhE model. In contrast, PDMS cured at 100°C for one hour, 65°C for 4 hours, and 25°C for 24 hours did not alter cell viability or metabolism of NIH-3T3 fibroblast. Results highlight the need to study polymers at non-cytotoxic concentrations to improve the selection/design of skin-safe materials.