Co-Electrospun Blends of PLGA, Gelatin, and Elastin as Potential Nonthrombogenic Scaffolds for Vascular Tissue Engineering

Abstract

In search for novel biomimetic scaffolds for application in vascular tissue engineering, we evaluated a series of fibrous scaffolds prepared by coelectrospinning tertiary blends of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), gelatin, and elastin (PGE). By systematically varying the ratios of PLGA and gelatin, we could fine-tune fiber size and swelling upon hydration as well as the mechanical properties of the scaffolds. Of all PGE blends tested, PGE321 (PLGA, gelatin, elastin v/v/v ratios of 3:2:1) produced the smallest fiber size (317 ± 46 nm, 446 ± 69 nm once hydrated) and exhibited the highest Young's modulus (770 ± 131 kPa) and tensile strength (130 ± 7 kPa). All PGE scaffolds supported the attachment and metabolization of human endothelial cells (ECs) and bovine aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) with some variances in EC morphology and cytoskeletal spreading observed at 48 h postseeding, whereas no morphologic differences were observed at confluence (day 8). The rate of metabolization of ECs, but not of SMCs, was lower than that on tissue culture plastic and depended on the specific PGE composition. Importantly, PGE scaffolds were capable of guiding the organotypic distribution of ECs and SMCs on and within the scaffolds, respectively. Moreover, the EC monolayer generated on the PGE scaffold surface was nonthrombogenic and functional, as assessed by the basal and cytokine-inducible levels of mRNA expression and amidolytic activity of tissue factor, a key player in the extrinsic clotting cascade. Taken together, our data indicate the potential application of PGE scaffolds in vascular tissue engineering.

Electrospun gelatin/polycaprolactone nanofibrous membranes combined with a coculture of bone marrow stromal cells and chondrocytes for cartilage engineering

“…11,38 Moreover, various synthetic and natural materials can be blended into nanocomposite electrospun scaffolds, observably improving cell-scaffold interactions for tissue engineering applications. [16][17][18] The GT/PCL membrane is a representative nanocomposite electrospun scaffold blend composed of the natural material gelatin and the synthetic polymer PCL, and has been widely used for engineering diverse tissues, including nerve, bone, skin, cardiovascular, and cartilage. 16,20,[39][40][41] Our previous studies have further modified the fabrication of GT/PCL membranes to obtain finer and compositionally homogeneous hybrid nanofibers, and have demonstrated that …”

“…[16][17][18] In our previous study, we fabricated electrospun gelatin/ polycaprolactone (GT/PCL) nanofibrous membranes, and found that acetic acid could improve the miscibility, contributing to obtaining finer and compositionally homogeneous hybrid nanofibers. 19 Furthermore, GT/PCL membranes seeded with chondrocytes in a sandwich model could form good-quality cartilage with precise three-dimensional (3-D) structures.…”

Electrospun Poly(lactide-co-glycolide-co-3(S)-methyl-morpholine-2,5-dione) Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

“…Biodegradable polymers, such as poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA), poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), have drawn a lot of attention in research because of their well-characterized biodegradable properties [24][25][26][27][28]. These materials have been successfully used in bone tissue, vessel, and patches for wounds [29][30][31]. Among these biodegradable polymers, PLGA is one of the most widely used classes of polymers for vascular tissue engineering, which has been already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a constituent of many biomaterial-based devices [28].…”

The effect of cross-linking on the microstructure, mechanical properties and biocompatibility of electrospun polycaprolactone–gelatin/PLGA–gelatin/PLGA–chitosan hybrid composite

“…In addition, a new technique to combine the outer and inner layers with the intermediate layer, PLGA-gelatin, has been developed in this study. Fortunately, electrospun PLGA-gelatin showed excellent smooth muscle cell proliferation [23]. The concept of using a combination of natural and synthesized polymers for forming three layers to mimic a natural blood vessel was investigated by Wang et al [22] using a PLGA-sandwiched cell/fibrin hydrogel.…”