title: Engineered electrospun poly(caprolactone)/polycaprolactone-g-hydroxyapatite nano-fibrous scaffold promotes human fibroblasts adhesion and proliferation.
abstract: Polycaprolactone (PCL)/hydroxyapatite nano-composites are among the best candidates for tissue engineering. However, interactions between nHAp and PCL are difficult to control leading to inhomogeneous dispersion of the bio-ceramic particles. Grafting of polymer chains at high density/chain length while promotes the phase compatibility may result in reduced HAp exposed surface area and therefore, bioactivity is compromised. This issue is addressed here by grafting PCL chains onto HAp nano-particles through ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone (PCL-g-HAp). FTIR and TGA analysis showed that PCL (6.9wt%), was successfully grafted on the HAp. PCL/PCL-g-HAp nano-fibrous scaffold showed up to 10 and 33% enhancement in tensile strength and modulus, respectively, compared to those of PCL/HAp. The effects of HAp on the in vitro HAp formation were investigated for both the PCL/HAp and PCL/PCL-g-HAp scaffolds. Precipitation of HAp on the nano-composite scaffolds observed after 15days incubation in simulated body fluid (SBF), as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Human fibroblasts were seeded on PCL, PCL/HAp and PCL/PCL-g-HAp scaffolds. According to MTT assay, the highest cell proliferation was recorded for PCL/PCL-g-HAp nano-composite, at all time intervals (1-21days, P<0.001). Fluorescent microscopy (of DAPI stained samples) and electron microscopy images showed that all nano-fibrous scaffolds (PCL, PCL/HAp, and PCL/PCL-g-HAp), were non-toxic against cells, while more cell adhesion, and the most uniform cell distribution observed on the PCL/PCL-g-HAp. Overall, grafting of relatively short chains of PCL on the surface of HAp nano-particles stimulates fibroblasts adhesion and proliferation on the PCL/PCL-g-HAp nano-composite.
authors: Biology Department, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Keivani
authors: Department of Biomaterials, Faculty of Science, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: p.shokrolahi@ippi.ac.ir.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Shokrollahi
authors: Department of Biomaterials, Faculty of Science, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, Tehran, Iran.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Zandi
authors: Biology Department, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Irani
authors: Department of Biomaterials, Faculty of Science, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, Tehran, Iran.
authors: F Shokrolahi
authors: Biology Department, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors: S C
authors: SC
authors: Khorasani
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017886:Durapatite / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; D017886:Durapatite
keywords: Electrospinning; Human fibroblast cells; Polycaprolactone grafted HAp; Tissue engineering