Patent Description:
In medical fields such as thoracic surgery, gastroenterological surgery, and gastroenterological medicine, sheet-shaped medical devices (medical sheets) are used for the purpose of reinforcing sutures after surgery, preventing air leakage, and the like.

Patent Literature <NUM> describes, as such a medical sheet, "A suture prosthetic material comprising, in at least a part thereof, a nonwoven fabric that is made of polyglycolic acid and is produced by melt blowing".

Patent Literature <NUM> was published after the priority date of the present case and is thus Article <NUM>(<NUM>) EPC prior art. Patent literature <NUM> discloses an angiogenesis promoter capable of exerting an angiogenesis promoting effect without containing any growth factor. The angiogenesis promoter comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a gelatin derivative and a crosslinked product of the gelatin derivative as an active ingredient.

Non-Patent Literature <NUM> discloses cross-linked gelatin derived from Alaskan pollock and its use as surgical sealant having enhanced adhesion strength.

The present inventor and his colleagues have found that it may be difficult to have, with use of the suture prosthetic material described in Patent Literature <NUM>, sufficient tissue adhesiveness in a wet environment at a biological tissue surface.

Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a biological tissue adhesive sheet having excellent tissue adhesiveness.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a biological tissue reinforcement material kit and a method for producing a biological tissue adhesive sheet.

As a result of intensive studies focusing on gelatins having excellent biocompatibility, the present inventor has found that the above-mentioned objects can be achieved by the following configuration.

The present invention provides a biological tissue adhesive sheet comprising a nonwoven fabric made of fibers containing a crosslinked cold-water fish gelatin, wherein the cold-water fish gelatin is at least one selected from the group consisting of cod gelatin, sea bream gelatin, salmon gelatin, and a genetically-engineered gelatin derived from cod, sea bream, or salmon, and wherein the nonwoven fabric has a thickness in a range from <NUM> to <NUM>.

The biological tissue adhesive sheet may contain an agent fixed to the nonwoven fabric.

The present invention also provides a biological tissue reinforcement material kit comprising the biological tissue adhesive sheet as described herein, and an instruction describing how to use the biological tissue adhesive sheet and/or precautions for use.

The present invention also provides a method for producing the biological tissue adhesive sheet as described herein, the method comprising:.

The method may further include irradiating the biological tissue adhesive sheet with an ultraviolet ray to hydrophilize surfaces of the fibers containing the cold-water fish gelatin.

The biological tissue adhesive sheet may be irradiated with the ultraviolet ray for <NUM> minutes to <NUM> minutes.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a biological tissue adhesive sheet having excellent tissue adhesiveness. Moreover, in a predetermined burst strength test, the biological tissue adhesive sheet of the present invention exhibits a higher burst strength than a conventional nonwoven fabric made of a biodegradable absorbent material does.

Further, according to the present invention, it is also possible to provide a biological tissue reinforcement material kit and a method for producing a biological tissue adhesive sheet.

Since the biological tissue adhesive sheet of the present invention has a configuration including a nonwoven fabric made of fibers containing a crosslinked cold-water fish gelatin, when the biological tissue adhesive sheet contains an agent (for example, an anticancer agent) fixed to the nonwoven fabric, the sheet can be used not only as a tissue reinforcement material but also as an agent eluting sheet.

The biological tissue adhesive sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a nonwoven fabric made of fibers containing a crosslinked cold-water fish gelatin.

Hereinafter, the biological tissue adhesive sheet according to the present embodiment, which includes a nonwoven fabric made of fibers containing a crosslinked cold-water fish gelatin, is sometimes referred to as a "cold-water fish gelatin fiber sheet".

As used herein, the term "cold-water fish gelatin" refers to a gelatin derived from a cold-water fish.

It is known that habitat of cold-water fishes has a low water temperature (about <NUM> to <NUM> as a standard). Examples of the cold-water fish include, but are not limited to, cod, sea bream, and salmon. Here, the term "cod" is a generic name of fishes belonging to Gadinae, and examples thereof include Pacific cod, Saffron cod, and Alaska pollock. The term "sea bream" is a generic name of fishes belonging to Sparidae, and examples thereof include red sea bream, black sea bream, and yellowback sea bream. The term "salmon" is a generic name of fishes belonging to Salmonidae, and examples thereof include chum salmon, Atlantic salmon, and sockeye salmon.

The cold-water fish may be a natural fish or a genetically-engineered fish.

In a preferred embodiment, the cold-water fish gelatin is a gelatin derived from cod (cod gelatin). A gelatin derived from Alaska pollock is more preferred.

The cold-water fish gelatin may be produced from raw material collagen (collagen of a cold-water fish) that is pretreated with an acid (inorganic acid such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid) or an alkali (lime). The pretreatment on the raw material collagen affects the hydrolysis of acid amide (that is, deamidation of amino acid side chains) in the collagen that occurs in the process of producing a gelatin. Therefore, the isoionic point of the gelatin varies depending on the presence or absence and conditions of the pretreatment. Specifically, the former acid-treated gelatin has an isoionic point of about pH <NUM> to <NUM>, and the latter alkali-treated gelatin has an isoionic point of about pH <NUM>.

The cold-water fish gelatin has an amino acid sequence similar to that of a gelatin derived from a mammal, is easily degraded by an enzyme, and has high biocompatibility. At the same time, the cold-water fish gelatin has a lower freezing point than that of a gelatin derived from a mammal, and has normal temperature fluidity. This is because the number (content) of hydroxyproline residues in the collagen of cold-water fishes is smaller than that in the collagen of mammals, and thus the collagen of cold-water fishes has a lower denaturation temperature. In addition, among fishes that are heterothermic animals, the denaturation temperature of collagen varies depending on the environment in which fishes are grown. Therefore, a fiber sheet containing a cold-water fish gelatin has a feature that the sheet is easily hydrated and gelates in vivo.

Advantages achieved when the biological tissue adhesive sheet of the present embodiment is a cold-water fish gelatin fiber sheet include physical properties of the cold-water fish gelatin as described above. Therefore, it is considered more effective to select the kind of the cold-water fish gelatin according to the intended use, application site, and the like of the biological tissue adhesive sheet.

The molecular weight of the cold-water fish gelatin is not particularly limited, but is preferably in the range of <NUM>,<NUM> to <NUM>,<NUM>, and more preferably in the range of <NUM>,<NUM> to <NUM>,<NUM>. When the molecular weight is within the above-mentioned range, a biological tissue adhesive sheet having even better tissue adhesiveness is obtained, the sheet itself is excellent in strength determined by a predetermined burst strength test as described in the section of Examples described later (hereinafter, the strength is also referred to as "film strength"), and the sheet has good handleability. As used herein, the term "molecular weight of the cold-water fish gelatin" means the weight average molecular weight (Mw) in terms of standard pullulan measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC).

The cold-water fish gelatin may be a gelatin reduced in endotoxin content by a conventionally known method.

In the biological tissue adhesive sheet of the present embodiment, the nonwoven fabric is made of fibers containing a crosslinked cold-water fish gelatin (hereinafter, the fibers are also referred to as "cold-water fish gelatin fibers").

As used herein, the term "crosslinked cold-water fish gelatin" means a crosslinked product of a cold-water fish gelatin. The crosslinked product of a cold-water fish gelatin typically means a reaction product that is obtained by applying energy such as heat or light to the cold-water fish gelatin and/or reacting the cold-water fish gelatin with a crosslinking agent.

As used herein, the term "crosslinked cold-water fish gelatin" or "crosslinked product of a cold-water fish gelatin" means a cold-water fish gelatin in a state of being crosslinked by an irreversible crosslinking reaction, that is, a crosslinked product of a cold-water fish gelatin that is obtained by an irreversible crosslinking reaction, and does not encompass a cold-water fish gelatin having a crosslinked structure (physical crosslinked structure) formed by an intermolecular and/or intramolecular interaction of the cold-water fish gelatin.

The method of applying energy to the cold-water fish gelatin to produce a crosslinked product of the cold-water fish gelatin is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a method of applying heat (that is, a method of applying thermal energy), and a method of applying an active ray or radiation (for example, an electron beam) (that is, a method of applying light energy). Among them, a method of applying thermal energy (in other words, heating) (that is, a thermal crosslinking method) is preferred from the viewpoint of more easily obtaining a crosslinked product of the cold-water fish gelatin.

The method of thermally crosslinking the cold-water fish gelatin is not particularly limited, and typical examples thereof include a method of heating the cold-water fish gelatin in a reduced pressure environment at <NUM> to <NUM> for <NUM> to <NUM> hours. In the above-mentioned method, for example, an amino group in the cold-water fish gelatin and other reactive groups (for example, a carboxy group and a mercapto group) undergo a reaction to produce a crosslinked product.

The crosslinked product of a cold-water fish gelatin may be obtained by reacting a cold-water fish gelatin with a crosslinking agent. The crosslinking agent is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include genipin, a polybasic acid activated with N-hydroxysuccinimide or N-sulfoxysuccinimide, an aldehyde compound, an acid anhydride, dithiocarbonate, and diisothiocyanate.

Examples of the usable crosslinking agent also include the compounds described in paragraphs [<NUM>] to [<NUM>] of <CIT>, the content of which is incorporated herein.

In the biological tissue adhesive sheet of the present embodiment, the thickness of the nonwoven fabric can be appropriately adjusted according to the intended use, application site, and the like of the biological tissue adhesive sheet. Specifically, for example, when the biological tissue adhesive sheet is applied to an organ such as a lung in respiratory surgery or gastroenterological surgery, the thickness of the nonwoven fabric is in the range of <NUM> or more and <NUM> or less. When the thickness of the nonwoven fabric is within the above-mentioned range, the biological tissue adhesive sheet has both excellent bulk strength and excellent flexibility.

When the thickness of the nonwoven fabric is <NUM> or more, the biological tissue adhesive sheet has better bulk strength. When the thickness of the nonwoven fabric is <NUM> or less, the biological tissue adhesive sheet has better flexibility.

In one aspect, the biological tissue adhesive sheet of the present embodiment preferably contains an agent fixed to the nonwoven fabric. The term "fix" also encompasses to "encapsulate" and "adsorb" the agent.

The agent is selected according to the intended use, application site, and the like of the biological tissue adhesive sheet. Examples of the agent include, but are not limited to, an anticancer agent, an antimicrobial agent, and a growth factor. One kind of agent may be used alone, or two or more kinds thereof may be used in combination.

Examples of the anticancer agent include, but are not limited to, cisplatin, carboplatin, nedaplatin, and oxaliplatin. Note that the above-mentioned anticancer agents are classified into platinum complexes (platinum compounds), but the anticancer agent usable in the present invention is not limited thereto, and examples thereof may include: alkylating agents (such as nitrogen mustards (e.g., cyclophosphamide) and nitrosoureas (e.g., nimustine)); antimetabolites (such as antifolates (e.g., pemetrexed), pyrimidine metabolism inhibitors, purine metabolism inhibitors, and nucleotide analogs); topoisomerase inhibitors; microtubule inhibitors; antitumor antibiotics (such as doxorubicin); and molecular target agents.

Examples of the antimicrobial agent include antibacterial antibiotics and antifungal antibiotics. More specific examples include, but are not limited to, antimicrobial agents classified into penicillins (such as Penicillin G, ampicillin, and bacampicillin), cephems (such as first generation (e.g., cefazolin), second generation (e.g., cefotiam), third generation (e.g., cefdinir), and fourth generation (e.g., cefepime)), carbapenems, monobactams, and penems. In addition to the above-mentioned antimicrobial agents that are also comprehensively referred to as β-lactam antimicrobial agents, for example, aminoglycoside, lincomycin, chloramphenicol, macrolide, ketolide, polypeptide, glycopeptide, and tetracycline antimicrobial agents can also be used. Moreover, synthetic antimicrobial agents classified into quinolones, oxazolidinones, sulfa agents, and the like can also be used.

Examples of the growth factor include, but are not limited to, vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs), basic fibroblast growth factors (bFGFs), platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs), hepatocyte growth factors (HGFs), and transforming growth factors-β (TGF-βs).

The agent may be subjected to a sustained release treatment by a conventionally known method as necessary. Owing to the sustained release treatment, when the agent is, for example, an anticancer agent, the effect of the anticancer agent on the target cancer cell can be further enhanced.

Here, as an application example of the biological tissue adhesive sheet of the present embodiment, treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma will be described as an example.

Pleural mesothelioma causes, even in the case where it is possible to apply surgery (resection) by extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) or pleurectomy/decortication (P/D), postoperative recurrences in many cases, and is known to be one of malignant diseases having poor prognosis.

The biological tissue adhesive sheet of the present embodiment has excellent adhesiveness to surfaces of soft tissues including the pulmonary pleura in a wet environment, and contains, as the agent fixed to the nonwoven fabric, an anticancer agent such as cisplatin. Therefore, it is considered that the biological tissue adhesive sheet can release the anticancer agent sustainedly, and can kill cancer cells remaining after resection of a cancer lesion.

As described above, the biological tissue adhesive sheet of the present invention is capable of having excellent biocompatibility and tissue adhesiveness, and also having sustained agent releasability. Therefore, the biological tissue adhesive sheet can be applied not only to use for the purpose of reinforcing sutures after surgery, preventing air leakage, and the like as with conventional medical sheets, but also to use for the purpose of treating a biological tissue after surgery.

The method for producing a biological tissue adhesive sheet is not particularly limited, and typical examples thereof include a method of producing a nonwoven fabric by a conventionally known method such as electrospinning, melt blowing, or spunbonding using a cold-water fish gelatin, and then crosslinking the cold-water fish gelatin.

In particular, the following production method is preferred as the method for producing the present biological tissue adhesive sheet in that a biological tissue adhesive sheet having excellent uniformity is more easily obtained.

A method for producing a biological tissue adhesive sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, the method is also referred to as "the present production method") includes:.

Hereinafter, the above-mentioned steps will be described.

The electrospinning step is a step of electrospinning a composition to prepare a nonwoven fabric.

In the electrospinning, a high voltage is applied to a composition containing the cold-water fish gelatin and a solvent so that the composition may be charged to form fibers, and the fibers are deposited to form a nonwoven fabric. As for a method for charging the composition, it is preferred to connect an electrode connected to a high-voltage power supply device to the composition itself or a container, and typically apply a voltage of <NUM> to <NUM> kV, and it is more preferred to apply a voltage of <NUM> to <NUM> kV.

The kind of voltage may be either direct current or alternating current.

The temperature during electrospinning is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately adjusted according to the boiling point and volatility of the solvent contained in the composition. In one embodiment, the temperature is preferably <NUM> to <NUM>.

Since the present production method includes this step, the nonwoven fabric is produced without heating the composition, in other words, without heating the cold-water fish gelatin. Therefore, unintentional crosslinking of the cold-water fish gelatin is reduced, and a biological tissue adhesive sheet having a more uniform structure (more uniform fiber diameter or the like) is easily obtained.

The composition contains the cold-water fish gelatin, and a solvent. The content of the cold-water fish gelatin in the composition is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of obtaining a biological tissue adhesive sheet having an even better effect of the present invention, the content is generally preferably <NUM> to <NUM> mass/volume% (g/mL) with respect to the total volume-based amount (mL) of the solvent in the composition. The composition may contain one kind of cold-water fish gelatin alone or two or more kinds thereof. When the composition contains two or more kinds of cold-water fish gelatins, it is preferred that the total content of the cold-water fish gelatins be within the above-mentioned numerical range.

The solvent contained in the composition is not particularly limited, and a solvent capable of dissolving and/or dispersing the cold-water fish gelatin is preferred. Examples of the usable solvent include water, organic solvents, and mixtures thereof. Examples of the usable water include ultrapure water, deionized water, and distilled water. The organic solvent is not particularly limited, and alcohols having <NUM> to <NUM> carbon atoms, esters, and the like can be used. Ethanol is preferred.

The method for preparing the composition is not particularly limited, and a known method can be used. For example, the cold-water fish gelatin may be added to the solvent and heated as necessary.

The heating temperature in this case is preferably a temperature at which thermal crosslinking of the cold-water fish gelatin does not proceed. Specifically, the heating temperature is preferably <NUM> to <NUM>.

The composition may contain components other than those described above. Examples of the components other than those described above include a crosslinking agent and an agent.

Depending on the intended use, application site, and the like of the biological tissue adhesive sheet, it is preferred that the composition do not substantially contain a crosslinking agent from the viewpoint that an unintended action by an unreacted crosslinking agent is less likely to occur.

The energy application step is a step of applying energy to the nonwoven fabric to produce a biological tissue adhesive sheet. Owing to the application of energy, at least a part of the cold-water fish gelatin undergoes intermolecular and/or intramolecular crosslinking, and the resulting biological tissue adhesive sheet has even better bulk strength and even better water resistance.

The energy to be applied is not particularly limited, and may be light and/or heat. In particular, it is preferred that the energy be applied by heating the nonwoven fabric from the viewpoint of more easily obtaining the biological tissue adhesive sheet.

The heating method is not particularly limited, and typical examples thereof include a method of heating the nonwoven fabric in a reduced pressure environment at <NUM> to <NUM> for <NUM> to <NUM> hours. More specifically, for example, when the raw material cold-water fish gelatin has a molecular weight (Mw) of about <NUM>,<NUM>, the nonwoven fabric is heated for <NUM> to <NUM> hours in a reduced pressure environment at <NUM> to <NUM> (for example, <NUM>).

Furthermore, the present production method may include irradiating the biological tissue adhesive sheet obtained by the energy application step with ultraviolet rays to hydrophilize surfaces of the fibers containing the cold-water fish gelatin (the step is also referred to as an "ultraviolet irradiation step").

Hereinafter, the ultraviolet irradiation step will be described.

The ultraviolet irradiation step is a step of further irradiating the fibers containing the crosslinked cold-water fish gelatin (that is, cold-water fish gelatin fibers) with ultraviolet rays to hydrophilize surfaces of the fibers. The surface treatment by ultraviolet irradiation reduces the contact angle between the fibers and a water droplet, and the fibers are more easily swollen in the presence of moisture. Meanwhile, when the fibers are brought into contact with a tissue in a dry state, the fibers after ultraviolet irradiation still have excellent adhesiveness.

The conditions for ultraviolet irradiation are not particularly limited, and the fibers are usually irradiated for <NUM> minutes to <NUM> minutes, more preferably for <NUM> minute to <NUM> minutes, and still more preferably for <NUM> minutes to <NUM> minutes. When the ultraviolet irradiation time is within the above-mentioned range, the surfaces of the cold-water fish gelatin fibers can be appropriately hydrophilized without impairing the production efficiency. In addition, the degree of hydrophilization of the surfaces of the cold-water fish gelatin fibers can be adjusted by adjusting the ultraviolet irradiation time within the above-mentioned range.

The ultraviolet intensity is preferably <NUM> to <NUM> mW/cm<NUM>, and more preferably <NUM> to <NUM> mW/cm<NUM>. The integrated light quantity of ultraviolet rays is preferably <NUM> to <NUM> J/cm<NUM>, and more preferably <NUM> to <NUM> J/cm<NUM>.

The device for ultraviolet irradiation is not particularly limited, and a commercially available ultraviolet irradiation device may be used. Usually, it is sufficient to irradiate one surface (surface that comes into contact with a target tissue) of the biological tissue adhesive sheet with ultraviolet rays, but both surfaces of the sheet may be irradiated with ultraviolet rays. In this case, the surfaces to be irradiated (front and back surfaces of the sheet) are preferably switched at a certain time interval (for example, every several to several tens seconds, every <NUM> minutes, or every <NUM> minutes). In addition, since the fiber surface is hydrophilic after ultraviolet irradiation, it is preferred to store the sheet in a dry atmosphere such as in the presence of a dehumidifier.

The biological tissue reinforcement material kit according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the biological tissue adhesive sheet.

The kit of the present embodiment includes an instruction describing how to use the biological tissue adhesive sheet of the present invention, precautions for use, and the like.

As used herein, the term "instruction" encompasses a package insert, a package label, and a direction for use, and is not particularly limited. Examples of the instruction include packaging insertions, prescribing information, and leaflets. The instruction may be provided on a paper medium or may be provided in a form such as an electronic medium (for example, a website or an e-mail provided on the Internet).

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples. Materials, amounts used, proportions, contents of treatment, treatment procedures, and the like shown in the following examples can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be restrictively interpreted by the following examples.

To <NUM> of a <NUM>% aqueous ethanol solution, <NUM> of a gelatin derived from Alaska pollock (Mw = <NUM>,<NUM>, manufactured by Nitta Gelatin Inc. , hereinafter also referred to as a "cod gelatin") was added, and dissolved on a water bath set at <NUM>. Then, the obtained gelatin solution was transferred to a syringe having a volume of <NUM> and equipped with an <NUM> gauge needle, and a nonwoven fabric made of cod gelatin fibers was prepared on a collector by electrospinning.

The obtained nonwoven fabric was heated (thermally crosslinked) in a reduced pressure environment at <NUM> for <NUM> hours to produce a cod gelatin fiber sheet.

As a result of observation with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), it was recognized that the cod gelatin fibers had a fiber diameter of <NUM> to <NUM>, and that a fiber sheet having a uniform structure was obtained (<FIG>). The sheet had a thickness of about <NUM>.

The cod gelatin fiber sheet obtained as described above was subjected to a burst strength test using a pleura separated from a porcine lung as an adherend.

<FIG> show an outline of the burst strength test. <FIG> is a photograph showing a configuration of an apparatus used in the test, <FIG> is a schematic view showing a cross section of a test chamber, and <FIG> is a schematic view showing a configuration of the adherend (porcine pleura) and the cod gelatin fiber sheet.

According to ASTM F2392-<NUM> (Standard Test Method for Burst Strength of Surgical Sealants), a hole having a diameter of <NUM> was made in the center of the pleural tissue formed to have a diameter of <NUM>, and the cod gelatin fiber sheet formed to have a diameter of <NUM> was attached to the pleural tissue (<FIG>). The tissue and the sheet were left standing for <NUM> minutes, and then placed in the test chamber (<FIG>).

Physiological saline was flowed at a flow rate of <NUM>/min from the direction indicated by the arrows in <FIG>, and the pressure when the cod gelatin fiber sheet attached to the pleural tissue was broken was measured by a pressure gauge (<FIG>).

As a comparative example, nonwoven fabrics (NEOVEIL (registered trademark) Type NV-M-<NUM> (thickness: <NUM>), Type NV-M-<NUM> (thickness: <NUM>), and Type NV-M-<NUM> (thickness: <NUM>) manufactured by GUNZE LIMITED) made of polyglycolic acid were subjected to the above-mentioned burst strength test.

As a result, the cod gelatin fiber sheet produced in the example of the present invention had a burst strength of about <NUM> (cmH<NUM>O) (n=<NUM>). On the other hand, as for the nonwoven fabrics of the comparative example, in all the cases where the thickness was <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM>, the value of burst strength was only about <NUM> to <NUM> (cmH<NUM>O) (n = <NUM>).

It should be noted here that for the cod gelatin fiber sheet produced in the example of the present invention, it was possible to measure the pressure when the sheet was broken without separation at the adhesion site between the pleural tissue and the sheet while flowing the physiological saline in the test chamber, whereas for the nonwoven fabrics of the comparative example, separation occurred at the adhesion site between the pleural tissue and the sheet by flowing the physiological saline (n = <NUM>). More specifically, the burst strength shown for the nonwoven fabrics of the comparative example should be understood more accurately not as "a pressure value when the nonwoven fabric attached to the pleural tissue was broken" (that is, a value indicating the film strength as referred to herein), but as "a pressure value when the nonwoven fabric attached to the pleural tissue was separated from the adhesion site" (that is, the pressure value when the adhesiveness to the adherend (biological tissue) was lost).

Furthermore, cod gelatin fiber sheets having a thickness of about <NUM>, and about <NUM> prepared by the same procedure as described above were subjected to the burst strength test. As a result, it was recognized that these cod gelatin fiber sheets had a film strength equivalent to that of the above-described cod gelatin fiber sheet having a thickness of about <NUM> (n = <NUM>).

From these results, it was confirmed that the cold-water fish fiber sheet of the present invention is superior in tissue adhesiveness and film strength to conventional medical sheets.

Moreover, cod gelatin fiber sheets, obtained by the same procedure as described above and by subjecting thermal crosslinking for <NUM> hours, were subjected to the burst strength test. As a result, it was recognized that these cod gelatin fiber sheets had a burst strength of about <NUM> (cmH<NUM>O) and it was <NUM> times or more the film strength than that of the cod gelatin fiber sheets obtained with thermal crosslinking for <NUM> hours (n = <NUM>).

From this result, it was confirmed that, in the case where a crosslinking process is performed by a thermal crosslinking method, the film strength of the cold-water fish gelatin fiber sheet can be changed in consideration of the kind and the molecular weight of the cold-water fish gelatin, and the thickness of the cold-water fish gelatin fiber sheet, and the like.

This suggests that, in the biological tissue adhesive sheet of the present invention, the film strength can be adjusted according to the intended use, application site, and the like of the sheet. In other words, in the biological tissue adhesive sheet of the present invention, even in the case where the composition of a fiber (cold-water fish gelatin fiber) constituting a nonwoven fabric is the same, the film strength of a sheet can be changed by changing the conditions of a crosslinking process. Therefore, it is possible to select a sheet having more preferable characteristics according to the intended use, application site, and the like of the sheet.

Cod gelatin fiber sheets (thickness: about <NUM>) were prepared by the same procedure as in Example <NUM> except that the thermal crosslinking time was <NUM> hour or <NUM> hours.

The obtained cod gelatin fiber sheets were observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). As a result, both the fiber sheets had a fiber diameter of <NUM> to <NUM> and had a uniform structure.

On the surfaces of the cod gelatin fiber sheets obtained with thermal crosslinking for <NUM> hours in this example, <NUM>µL of pure water was dropped, and the contact angle of the water droplet after <NUM> seconds was measured. As a result, it was recognized that the contact angle of the water droplet was about <NUM>°.

A test piece was cut out from the sheet, and the test piece was immersed in physiological saline for <NUM> minutes to evaluate the degree of swelling. As a result, it was recognized that swelling ratio was about <NUM>%.

The sheet molded into a dumbbell shape in accordance with JIS K <NUM>: <NUM> was subjected to a tensile test. As a result, it was recognized that the Young's modulus was about <NUM> KPa and the tensile strength was about <NUM> MPa.

These physical properties are considered to reflect the crosslinking density in the cod gelatin fiber sheet described above or the structural change of the gelatin due to heat treatment. Therefore, it is presumed that these physical properties tend to vary depending on the thickness of the cod gelatin fiber sheet, the thermal crosslinking conditions (thermal crosslinking time), and the like.

In addition, cod gelatin fiber sheets obtained with thermal crosslinking for <NUM> hour or <NUM> hours were subjected to the burst strength test. As a result, it was recognized that the cod gelatin fiber sheets had a film strength equivalent to that of the cod gelatin fiber sheet obtained with thermal crosslinking for <NUM> hours in Example <NUM> (n = <NUM>).

The seam bream gelatin fiber sheet obtained with thermal crosslinking for <NUM> hours in this example and the nonwoven fabric (thickness: <NUM>) of the comparative example that is made of polyglycolic acid (hereinafter, the nonwoven fabric is also referred to as a "PGA sheet") were subjected to a burst strength test using lungs isolated from a rat as an adherend.

Specifically, both lungs including the trachea were isolated from a rat, a defect having a depth of <NUM> was produced in the pleura of the isolated lungs with a <NUM> injection needle, and a sheet piece having a diameter of about <NUM> and a thickness of <NUM> was attached to cover the defect.

Then, the isolated lungs to which the sheet piece was attached were left standing for <NUM> minutes, and air was sent from the trachea at a flow rate of <NUM>/sec in a state in which the lungs were immersed in physiological saline at <NUM>. The pressure when the sheet piece attached to the defect was broken and air leakage occurred due to expansion of the lungs was measured by a pressure gauge.

As a result, the burst strength in the case of using the cod fiber sheet was about <NUM> (cmH<NUM>O) which was significantly higher than the burst strength (about <NUM> (cmH<NUM>O)) in the case of using the nonwoven fabric made of polyglycolic acid (that is, the PGA sheet).

The seam bream gelatin fiber sheet obtained with thermal crosslinking for <NUM> hours in this example was subjected to a toxicity test on L-<NUM> cells.

More specifically, L-<NUM> cells were cultured on a sheet for <NUM> hours, and then the number of cells was counted by a WST-<NUM> assay. As for the morphology of the cells, actin staining was performed using DAPI (a nucleic acid fluorescence staining reagent that is impermeable to cell membranes), and then the immobilized cells were observed with a fluorescence microscope.

As a result, it was recognized that <NUM>% or more of the cultured L-<NUM> cells were alive for the cod gelatin fiber sheet.

The cod gelatin fiber sheet prepared with thermal crosslinking for <NUM> hours in this example and the nonwoven fabric made of polyglycolic acid (that is, the PGA sheet) were subjected to a biocompatibility test and a degradability test by subcutaneous implantation in the back of rats.

More specifically, the center of the back of each rat was shaved and disinfected, then the skin was incised, a sheet having a diameter of about <NUM> and a thickness of <NUM> was implanted into the back, and then the skin was sutured.

The observation period was set to <NUM> days, <NUM> days, <NUM> days, and <NUM> days after surgery, and the implanted sheet and the surrounding tissue were collected in each observation period and subjected to optical microscope observation and tissue observation by hematoxylin-eosin staining.

As a result, in the rat implanted with the cod gelatin fiber sheet, the sheet was completely degraded on day <NUM> after surgery, and no strong inflammatory reaction was observed. More specifically, on day <NUM> after surgery, healing of the incision site and degradation of the sheet proceeded to such an extent that the incision site and the sheet could hardly be observed with the naked eye. From these results, it is considered that the degradation reaction of the cod gelatin fiber sheet proceeded by the enzyme secreted from the tissue cells around the sheet as the skin incised at the time of sheet implantation healed.

On the other hand, in the rat implanted with the nonwoven fabric made of polyglycolic acid (that is, the PGA sheet), the sheet remained even on day <NUM> after surgery. This is considered to be because the degradation of the PGA sheet is a hydrolysis reaction, and thus the degradation speed of the sheet was slower than the progress of the healing of the incision site. In such a case, there is a concern about the possibility of continuation of an inflammatory reaction due to the sheet remaining after tissue healing.

A cod gelatin fiber sheet was prepared by the same procedure as in Example <NUM> except that the thermal crosslinking time was <NUM> hours. Hereinafter, the cod gelatin fiber sheet thus obtained is also referred to as "AdFS". In a UV irradiation box (produced by the National Institute for Materials Science), the obtained cod gelatin fiber sheet was left standing and irradiated with ultraviolet rays (source: a UV lamp, manufactured by MIYATA ELEVAM Inc. ) of <NUM> and <NUM> at normal temperature for <NUM> minutes to surface-treat the fibers in the fiber sheet. Hereinafter, the cod gelatin fiber sheet obtained in this example, which was subjected to UV irradiation for <NUM> minutes, is also referred to as "UV-AdFS".

As for UV-AdFS, an absorption spectrum was measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and the molecular structure was analyzed. As a result, an absorption around <NUM>-<NUM> derived from -NH-stretching vibration, an absorption around <NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM> derived from -CH<NUM>-stretching vibration and an absorption around <NUM>-<NUM> derived from -CH<NUM>-stretching vibration of an alkyl terminal were observed.

As a result of observation with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), it was recognized that UV-AdFS had a fiber diameter in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>, and that fiber sheet having a uniform structure was obtained.

On the surfaces of AdFS and UV-AdFS, <NUM>µL of pure water was dropped, and the contact angle of the water droplet after <NUM> second was measured (n = <NUM>).

As a result, in AdFS, the contact angle of the water droplet was about <NUM>°, and in UV-dFS, the contact angle of the water droplet was about <NUM>°. As for cod gelatin fiber sheets produced by setting the ultraviolet irradiation time for AdFS to <NUM> minutes, <NUM> minutes or <NUM> minutes, the measurement results of the contact angle were about <NUM>°, <NUM>° and about <NUM>°, respectively. From these results, it was recognized that in the fiber sheet containing the cod gelatin, the contact angle of the water droplet is greatly reduced as compared with the case of no irradiation, and the surfaces of the cod gelatin fibers become highly hydrophilic by ultraviolet irradiation for <NUM> minutes or less, and further, the surfaces of the cod gelatin fibers become almost completely hydrophilic by irradiation for <NUM> minutes.

A test piece was cut out from each of AdFS and UV-AdFS, and the test piece was immersed in physiological saline at <NUM> for <NUM> hours to evaluate the degree of swelling. As a result, both the sheets showed about the same swelling ratio in the range of about <NUM>% to about <NUM>%.

In addition, the fiber sheets molded into a dumbbell shape in accordance with JIS K <NUM>: <NUM> were subjected to a tensile test. As a result, almost the same stress-strain curves were obtained for AdFS and UV-AdFS.

These physical properties are considered to reflect the crosslinking density in the cod gelatin fiber sheet described above or the structural change of the gelatin due to heat treatment. Therefore, it is presumed that these physical properties tend to vary depending on the thickness of the cold-water fish gelatin fiber sheet, the thermal crosslinking conditions (thermal crosslinking time), and the like.

Cod gelatin fiber sheet prepared with thermal crosslinking for <NUM> hour (hereinafter also referred to as "AdFS1") and a cod gelatin fiber sheet obtained by subjecting AdFS1 to ultraviolet irradiation for <NUM> minutes (hereinafter also referred to as "UV-AdFS1") were subjected to the burst strength test on a porcine pleura with the standing time after attaching the sheets to the pleural tissue set to <NUM> minutes, <NUM> minute, <NUM> minutes, <NUM> minutes, or <NUM> minutes.

<FIG> is a graph showing a relation between the standing time (min) and the burst strength (cmH<NUM>O) of AdFS1 and UV-AdFS1 in the burst strength test on the porcine pleura.

As shown in <FIG>, in the case of UV-AdFS1 (filled circles), the burst strength reached the maximum value in a standing time shorter than <NUM> minutes (more specifically, in about <NUM> minutes), whereas in the case of AdFS1 (open circles) not irradiated with ultraviolet rays, the burst strength was the highest when the standing time was <NUM> minutes.

These results suggest that the hydrophilization of the surfaces of the cod gelatin fiber sheets by ultraviolet irradiation increased the moisture absorption speed of the cod gelatin fiber sheets from the pleural tissue, resulting in an improvement in the speed of adhesion between the cod gelatin fiber sheets and the pleural tissue.

In the same manner as described above with respect to the burst strength test on the porcine pleura using the cod gelatin fiber sheet of Example <NUM>, also in the case of UV-AdFS1, it was possible to measure the pressure when the sheet was broken without separation at the adhesion site between the pleural tissue and the sheet while flowing physiological saline in the test chamber.

UV-AdFS was subjected to an enzymatic degradability test using a solution obtained by dissolving a collagenase in physiological saline (that is, a collagenase solution).

Specifically, a sample (UV-AdFS) was placed in a container containing the collagenase solution, and immersed in the collagenase solution for <NUM> minutes, <NUM> minutes, <NUM> minutes, <NUM> minutes, <NUM> minutes, and <NUM> minutes. Then, the collagenase solution was removed, and the weight of the remaining sample was measured to calculate the residual rate (%) with respect to the weight of the sample before being immersed in the collagenase solution.

As a result, after <NUM> minutes from the start of immersion in the collagenase solution, the residual weight of UV-AdFS was about <NUM>% of the initial sheet weight, the residual weight was about <NUM>% after <NUM> minutes, and the sample was almost completely degraded after <NUM> minutes (n = <NUM>).

UV-AdFS was subjected to a toxicity test on L-<NUM> cells.

More specifically, L-<NUM> cells were cultured on UV-AdFS for <NUM> hours, and then the number of cells was counted by a WST-<NUM> assay. As for the morphology of the cells, actin staining was performed using DAPI (a nucleic acid fluorescence staining reagent that is impermeable to cell membranes), and then the immobilized cells were observed with a fluorescence microscope.

As a control, the number of cells was counted by the WST-<NUM> assay using cells obtained by culturing L-<NUM> cells in a normal culture medium for <NUM> hours.

As a result, it was recognized that <NUM>% or more of the cultured L-<NUM> cells were alive for UV-AdFS.

In addition, in the case of UV-AdFS, the proliferation rate after <NUM> hours of culture was about <NUM>%, which was significantly higher than those of the control (about <NUM>%).

Since the biological tissue adhesive sheet of the present invention has tissue adhesiveness superior to that of conventional medical sheets and also has excellent film strength, the sheet is expected to be applied to medical fields such as respiratory surgery, gastroenterological surgery, and gastroenterological medicine.

Claim 1:
A biological tissue adhesive sheet comprising a nonwoven fabric made of fibers containing a crosslinked cold-water fish gelatin,
wherein the cold-water fish gelatin is at least one selected from the group consisting of cod gelatin, sea bream gelatin, salmon gelatin, and a genetically-engineered gelatin derived from cod, sea bream, or salmon, and
wherein the nonwoven fabric has a thickness in a range from <NUM> to <NUM>.