Blood interactions with bioactive peptidefunctionalized nanocellulose : An evaluation of the activation of the coagulation and complement system

Sammanfattning: A current trend utilizing the biomedical approach in the field of wound care is focused on the increased potential to develop wound healing materials designed to address specific types of wounds or underlying pathologies to achieve improved healing. The work presented in this thesis evaluates the blood response to wood-derived nanocellulose functionalized with a peptide, with the ultimate aim of characterizing the material as a potential wound dressing for chronic wound care. The material was evaluated based on the response toward the innate immune system. These interactions between the material and blood were studied using an in vitro whole blood loop model, and then, the coagulation and complement system activation markers were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The platelet count and the levels of the thrombin-antithrombin complex reported for the material showed no activation of the coagulation cascade whereas there was an activation caused in the complement system showing higher levels of C3a and s-C5b9 components as compared to the controls. The observations obtained from this interdisciplinary project can be considered as a stepping stone toward the need for further analysis of the material in advanced wound care applications. This can be achieved by targeting the specific phases of the wound healing process in order to promote effective wound management.