WS2NM-Based Nanocarriers and Application in Tissue Engineering

Recently, WS₂NM-based nanocarriers have been developed in drug delivery systems, which also promote their application in tissue engineering. Due to the electrical properties of WS₂, researchers have designed tungsten disulfide nanomaterials (WS₂NM)-based electro-responsive drug delivery systems. Conventional drug delivery systems, such as oral and injectable, require higher concentrations of drugs to see therapeutic effects, and administering too much of the drug can lead to side effects in some patients.

Comparing WS₂NM-based nanocarriers with conventional drug delivery systems, the total amount of drug released in vitro without IR irradiation was 18% and 98% at 37 and 50 degrees Celsius, respectively. However, in the presence of near-infrared laser irradiation, the WS₂ nanocarrier drug release reached 100% within 15 minutes.

Nanomaterials can be used for tissue engineering to fabricate high-performance scaffolds, implants, and medical devices. WS₂ nanomaterials are new candidates for the development of tissue engineering and nanomedicine. Due to the electrical and mechanical properties of tungsten disulfide (WS₂), they can be used for scaffold reinforcement, tissue engineering, and drug delivery design.

(Picture source: Xinmin Zheng et al./The Royal Society of Chemistry)

In orthodontic treatment, movement of the teeth along the archwire creates frictional forces between the archwire and brackets in the opposite direction of the orthodontic forces. Whereas the focus used to be on engineering brackets, the focus now is on reducing frictional forces, which can reduce treatment time and the risk of root resorption.

For this reason, hexagonally structured (H) molybdenum disulfide and tungsten disulfide (MoS₂ and WS₂) are good choices because they have excellent solid lubricant properties and, under certain conditions, they can bend themselves to form a graphite-like structure.

Ni+ WS₂ and Ni+MoS₂ show better properties compared to pure stainless steel or nickel-coated steel. Orthodontic stainless steel (SS) wire was developed by using fullerene-like WS₂. Redlich coated stainless steel with nickel-phosphorus and inorganic fullerene tungsten disulfide for electroless deposition. The coefficient of friction was significantly reduced from 0.25 to 0.08 and the parting force was reduced by 54%.

Meanwhile, chemical-physical analysis and imaging demonstrated the attachment of Ni-P with IF-WS₂ nanoparticles to stainless steel after extensive friction tests. The researchers designed a WS₂ and Poly (L-lactide) PLLA nanocomposite for bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS).

(Picture source: Xinmin Zheng et al./The Royal Society of Chemistry)

PLLA is the first polymer clinically approved for the manufacture of BVS, degrades to lactic acid, is non-toxic to humans, and has many applications in drug delivery, food packaging, and biomedical devices. Although PLLA-based polymers are twice as thick as metal scaffolds, they are fragile and therefore need to be strengthened without increasing their thickness.

WS₂ nanoparticles have good mechanical properties and flexibility and can increase the strength of PLLA. PLLA-WS₂ composites were prepared by adding 0.05 wt% of WS₂ to PLLA and solvent casting followed by hot pressing. The mechanical properties of the composites were investigated by uniaxial stretching of WS₂ at a stretching rate of 500 mm/min at a temperature of 90 degrees Census. Stress-strain curves showed up to 100% strain in both nanocomposites and pure polymer.

Chlorophyll-assisted WS₂ synthesis showed better stability than WS₂ without chlorophyll stripping. the WS₂/PCL/CS composites did not show any toxicity due to their larger pores thus improving nutrient transport, and cell growth and leading to osteogenesis and angiogenesis.

In vivo bone regeneration studies showed that the mechanical properties of WS₂/PCL/CS were improved by 120% compared to commercially available MTA materials, making WS₂/PCL/CS an excellent candidate for bone regeneration composites compared to PCL/CS.

Cited article: Niknam S., Ahmad Dehdast S., Pourdakan O., Shabani M., Kazem Koohi M. Tungsten Disulfide Nanomaterials (WS₂NM) Application in Biosensors and Nanomedicine, A review. Nanomed Res J, 2022; 7(3): 214-226. DOI: 10.22034/nmrj.2022.03.001

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