Fused Deposition Modeling 3D Printing: Test Platforms for Evaluating Post-Fabrication Chemical Modifications and In-Vitro Biological Properties.

Petra Arany,Miklós Vecsernyés,Florent Perret,Eszter Róka,Zoltán Ujhelyi,Ferenc Fenyvesi,Romána Zelkó,Ildikó Bácskay,Beomjoon Kim,Adrienn Kazsoki,Judit Váradi,Renátó Kovács,Pálma Fehér,Rudolf Gesztelyi,Laurent Mollet,Anthony W Coleman

doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics11060277

Abstract

3D printing is attracting considerable interest for its capacity to produce prototypes and small production runs rapidly. Fused deposit modeling (FDM) was used to produce polyvalent test plates for investigation of the physical, chemical, and in-vitro biological properties of printed materials. The polyvalent test plates (PVTPs) are poly-lactic acid cylinders, 14 mm in diameter and 3 mm in height. The polymer ester backbone was surface modified by a series of ramified and linear oligoamines to increase its hydrophilicity and introduce a positive charge. The chemical modification was verified by FT-IR spectroscopy, showing the introduction of amide and amine functions, and contact angle measurements confirmed increased hydrophilicity. Morphology studies (SEM, optical microscopy) indicated that the modification of PVTP possessed a planar morphology with small pits. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy demonstrated that the polymeric free volume decreased on modification. An MTT-based prolonged cytotoxicity test using Caco-2 cells showed that the PVTPs are non-toxic at the cellular level. The presence of surface oligoamines on the PVTPs reduced biofilm formation by Candida albicans SC5314 significantly. The results demonstrate that 3D printed objects may be modified at their surface by a simple amidation reaction, resulting in a reduced propensity for biofilm colonization and cellular toxicity.

Highlights

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has become one of the major innovative technologies of recent years, and has led to a revolution in personalized medication using medical devices [1] and modified-release products [2]
The first is used to prepare medical devices for surgical implantation, but is still onerous and highly expensive, whilst the second is cheap and suitable for prototyping devices both for biomedical analytical usage and clinical prototyping, such as drug patches [6]. For both fused deposition modeling (FDM) and SLA, commercial polymers or pre-polymers are widely available, but little or nothing is known about their behavior in terms of bacterial colonization or biofilm formation, and whether the printing process itself has an effect on the bio-properties of the post-printed structures remains to be clarified
We demonstrated the importance of surface characterization and cytocompatibility investigations of 3D printed polylactic acid (PLA)- polyvalent test plates (PVTPs) and chemically modified PLA-based PVTPs

Summary

Introduction

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has become one of the major innovative technologies of recent years, and has led to a revolution in personalized medication using medical devices [1] and modified-release products [2]. 3D printing methods may support the development of personalized medicine and therapy, for example in cardiac and orthopedic surgeries [3] This innovative technique has attracted significant attention in dental and plastic surgeries [4]. The first is used to prepare medical devices for surgical implantation, but is still onerous and highly expensive, whilst the second is cheap and suitable for prototyping devices both for biomedical analytical usage and clinical prototyping, such as drug patches [6] For both FDM and SLA, commercial polymers or pre-polymers are widely available, but little or nothing is known about their behavior in terms of bacterial colonization or biofilm formation, and whether the printing process itself has an effect on the bio-properties of the post-printed structures remains to be clarified

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