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Preparation, Characterization, and Surface Modification of Polycaprolactone-Based Nanofibrous Scaffold by Grafting with Collagen for Skin Tissue Engineering

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Abstract

Purpose

Based on the capabilities of polycaprolactone-based nanofibers (PCL) in the wound healing process, some of polycaprolactone’s weaknesses, such as hydrophobicity and cell non-adhesion to it, were improved by grafting collagen to the surface of the nanofibers.

Methods

First, polymeric solutions of PCL/chitosan/gelatin in acetic acid/formic acid solvent were prepared for electrospinning in this study. The effects of various factors on the electrospinability and morphology of the fabricated fiber were then investigated, including the volumetric ratio of solvents, chitosan concentration, gelatin concentration, and solution flow rate. In addition, the appropriate conditions for electrospinning of PCL/chitosan/gelatin solution were obtained without the addition of any other substance to increase the electrospinability of the solution, and the electrospinability range of the aforementioned solution was presented. Following electrospinning, the extracted collagen from the rat tail tendon with two different mass ratios was grafted onto the nanofiber surface. Following that, the morphology, chemical compositions, swelling, water vapor transmission rate, contact angle, tensile strength, cell viability, and human fibroblast cell adhesion of this nanofiber were investigated.

Results

The solution’s electrospinability range was introduced, and a beadless nanofiber was formed under the proposed appropriate electrospinning conditions. According to the results of scanning electron microscopy, the mean diameter of beadless nanofiber was 282 ± 37 nm. It was also demonstrated that the nanofiber has significant swelling, good mechanical properties, an acceptable water vapor transmission rate, and appropriate cell attachment, viability, and migration. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that grafting collagen on the scaffold surface can significantly improve cell attachment, viability, and migration.

Conclusions

This PCL-based nanofiber mat can be considered as a skin tissue scaffold.

Lay Summary

As a potential skin tissue scaffold, an electrospun PCL-based mat was prepared in this study. In addition, for the first time, an optimum condition was introduced for electrospinning of PCL/chitosan/gelatin solution without the addition of any other additives, and various tests such as water vapor transmission rate were performed to evaluate its properties. Furthermore, collagen was grafted onto the proposed nanofiber mat, and the results of the tests show that grafting collagen can improve cell attachment, viability, and migration on the scaffold, and the produced mat has great potential as a skin tissue scaffold.

Future Works

Based on the findings of this study, the authors strongly advise that the performance of the scaffold, which is grafted with 0.4% collagen solution, be investigated using immunostaining and in-vivo tests, as well as a quantitative examination of cell adhesion, for further evaluations.

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Data Availability

The data presented in this article were gathered as a result of the aforementioned experiments. The sources of the materials used are also mentioned in the article.

Code Availability

Not applicable.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude to Shiraz University and Shiraz University of Medical Sciences for providing the necessary facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

    Farnaz Sheikhi, Mohammad Khorram & Hamed Peyrovedin

  2. Burn and Wound Healing Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Seyedeh-Sara Hashemi

  3. Burn and Wound Healing Research Center, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Aliakbar Mohammadi

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  1. Farnaz Sheikhi
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  2. Mohammad Khorram
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  3. Seyedeh-Sara Hashemi
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Correspondence to Mohammad Khorram.

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Appendix

Appendix

Table 9 shows the p-values of two-way ANOVA analysis for the indirect cytotoxicity test and fibroblast cell proliferation.

Table 9 Two-way ANOVA analysis results for indirect cytotoxicity test and proliferation of fibroblast cells of the produced scaffold
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Sheikhi, F., Khorram, M., Hashemi, SS. et al. Preparation, Characterization, and Surface Modification of Polycaprolactone-Based Nanofibrous Scaffold by Grafting with Collagen for Skin Tissue Engineering. Regen. Eng. Transl. Med. 8, 545–562 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40883-022-00254-1

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