The development of immune-instructive biomaterials that actively guide host immune responses toward healing and homeostasis is a key step for advancing the next generation of biomedical implants and regenerative medicine. UV laser technology offers a non-contact, scalable, and versatile approach for directly patterning bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) topography at a cell-size scale. Distinct 40 μm - period topographies were generated on the BNC surface, including anisotropic patterns with distinct morphologies and an isotropic pattern of symmetrically arranged bumps. Scanning electron microscopy and 3D optical profilometry analysis confirmed the high fidelity and reliability of the UV laser patterning . Distinct cell-size topographies modulated differentiated THP1 cell behavior, including morphology, orientation, metabolic activity, and polarization. Notably, the anisotropic topography with deeper and narrower microgrooves elicited a pronounced contact-guidance effect, enhancing cell alignment and elongation. This effect was associated with a more robust, directional immunological response toward an M2-phenotype, evidenced by reduced pro-inflammatory mediators and significant ( p < 0.0001 vs. flat BNC) IL-10 up-regulation, likely mediated by cell-shape-induced mechanotransduction. In vivo subcutaneous implantation in C57BL/6 J mice demonstrated the anti-fibrotic potential of BNC coatings, both flat and anisotropic, eliciting favorable immune responses. This anisotropic microstructured surface (P40;1100;ANISO) further improved outcomes, inducing minimal inflammatory reaction (histopathological score 2.8 ± 0.6), a negligible fibrotic capsule (12.7 ± 2.9 μm superficial; 7.1 ± 1.6 deep) with low collagen content, and well-organized tissue remodeling consistent with the interfacial topography. This study highlights BNC's non-immunogenic, biocompatible nature and establishes UV laser patterning as an effective approach for engineering BNC interfaces with immunomodulatory properties. • UV laser processing enables rapid, non-contact patterning of BNC at cellular resolution. • Laser-engineered BNC interfaces exhibit remarkable antifibrotic performance and organized tissue remodeling. • UV laser engineering broadens BNC application as immunomodulatory, protective coatings and potentially as cell-instructive constructs for regeneration.
Costa et al. (Fri,) studied this question.