Encapsulation of bacteria and viruses in electrospun fibers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016032271-A1
Application number	US-201514817310-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 4, 2015
Priority date	Aug 29, 2007
Publication date	Feb 4, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of preserving organisms in viable form, the method comprising: suspending organisms in a solution of electrospinnable polymer; drawing droplets of said solution through a spinneret; applying an electrostatic field to said droplets under electrospinning conditions; so as to form fibers having a diameter no greater than about 5 μm within which distinct organisms are encapsulated in viable form.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of preserving organisms in viable form, the method comprising:
suspending organisms in a solution of electrospinnable polymer; drawing droplets of said solution through a spinneret;
applying an electrostatic field to said droplets under electrospinning conditions;
so as to form fibers having a diameter no greater than about 5 μm within which distinct organisms are encapsulated in viable form.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said biological matter is selected from the group consisting of bacteria and non-filamentous viruses.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said solution further comprises an osmolarity-regulating agent.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said osmolarity-regulating agent is selected from the group consisting of glycerol, a polysaccharide polymer, glycol, and polyethylene glycol.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said bacteria comprises Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus albus.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said viruses are selected from the group consisting of bacterial viruses T7, T4, and λ, Herpes simplex, Cytomegalovirus, Papilloma virus, Adenovirus, Burkitt lymphoma virus, Arbovirus, Arenavirus, Epstein-Barr virus, Varicella virus, Cornavirus, Coxsackievirus, Eboli virus, Enterovirus, Hepatitis virus, Influenza virus, Marburg virus, Measles virus, Mumps virus, Polio virus, Rhinovirus, Rubella virus, Smallpox virus, Rabies virus, and Rotavirus.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said bacterial viruses are grown on E. coli strain.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein said E. coli strain comprises K12.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said spinneret is selected from the group consisting of a pipette and a syringe.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said syringe further comprises a needle and a syringe pump.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said needle has an inner diameter of from about 0.1 to about 2 mm.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said electrospinnable polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyamides, poly(siloxanes), poly(silicones), poly(ethylene), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate), poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(vinyl alcohol) (, poly(acrylic acid), poly(vinyl acetate), polyacrylamide, poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate), poly(ethylene glycol), poly(methacrylic acid), polylactides, polyglycolides, poly(lactide-co-glycolides), polyanhydrides, polyorthoesters, Poly(carbonate), poly(acrylo nitrile), poly(ethylene oxide), polyaniline, polyvinyl carbazole, polystyrene, poly(vinyl phenol), polyhydroxyacids, poly(caprolactone), polyanhydrides, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polyurethanes, collagen, albumin, alginate, chitosan, starch, hyaluronic acid, and blends and copolymers thereof.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said electrospinnable polymer comprises polyvinyl alcohol.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said applying an electrostatic field comprises inserting a first electrode in said spinneret, positioning a counterelectrode at a distance from said first electrode and applying a high voltage between said first electrode and said counterelectrode.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said distance is up to about 20 cm.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said high voltage current comprises a current of up to about 30 kV.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said first electrode is formed from copper and said counterelectrode is formed from aluminum.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said counterelectrode is a collector for said fibers.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said collector is a rotating disc.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said disc is provided with a tapered edge.

Assignees

• Technion Res & Dev Foundation

Inventors

• Kuhn Jonathan Charles
• Zussman Eyal

Classifications

• A61K9/0092 Primary

  Hollow drug-filled fibres, tubes of the core-shell type, coated fibres, coated rods, microtubules or nanotubes · CPC title

• C12N13/00

  Treatment of microorganisms or enzymes with electrical or wave energy, e.g. magnetism, sonic waves · CPC title

• C12N11/04 Primary

  entrapped within the carrier, e.g. gel or hollow fibres · CPC title

• D01F1/10

  Other agents for modifying properties · CPC title

• C12N11/00

  Carrier-bound or immobilised enzymes; Carrier-bound or immobilised microbial cells; Preparation thereof · CPC title