In vivo inducing collagen regeneration of biodegradable polymer microspheres

Biodegradable polymer particles have been used as dermal fillers for pre-clinical and clinical trials. The impact of material properties of polymers is very important to develop products for aesthetic medicine such as dermal fillers. Herein, eight biodegradable polymers with different molecular weights, chemical compositions or hydrophilic-hydrophobic properties were prepared and characterized for systematical study for aesthetic medicine applications. Polymer microspheres with 20–100 μm were prepared. The in vitro degradation study showed that poly (L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) 75/25 microspheres degraded the fastest, whereas poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) microspheres with intrinsic viscosity of 6.89 ([η] = 6.89) with the highest molecular weight showed the slowest degradation rate. After these microspheres were fabricated dermal fillers according to the formula of Sculptra(®), they were injected subcutaneously into the back skin of rabbits. In vivo results demonstrated that the degradation rate of microspheres strongly correlated with the foreign body reaction and collagen regeneration was induced by microspheres. The microspheres with faster degradation rate induced inflammatory response and the collagen regeneration maintained in shorter time. PLLA ([η] = 3.80) microsphere with a moderate molecular weight and degradation rate could strongly regenerate Type I and III collagen to maintain a long-term aesthetic medicine effect. These properties of size, morphology and degradation behavior would influence the foreign body reaction and collagen regeneration.