Different osteoconductivity of PLLA/PHB composite nanofibers prepared by one‐ and two‐nozzle electrospinning

Abstract

Electrospinning is a method that has a high potential for use in tissue engineering due to its simplicity, cheapness, versatility, and high applicability for preparing of composite nanofibrous scaffolds. In this study, nanofibrous scaffolds were made of poly‐l‐lactic acid (PLLA) and Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) polymers by electrospinning single‐nozzle (combined polymers: C‐PLLA/PHB) and two‐nozzle (separated polymers: S‐PLLA/PHB). Constructed scaffolds were characterized using SEM, in vitro degradation, cell attachment, protein adsorption, and nontoxicity assays. Then, scaffolds osteoconductive capacity was investigated by culturing adipose‐derived stem cells (ADSCs) and by evaluating common osteogenic markers. Obtained results displayed that fibers diameter, scaffold degradation, and biocompatibility of S‐PLLA/PHB nanofibrous scaffold were increased compared to the C‐PLLA/PHB nanofibers. In addition, significantly increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, calcium content, and osteogenic‐related gene expression were also observed in the ADSCs cultured on S‐PLLA/PHB nanofibrous scaffold compared to the cultured cells on C‐PLLA/PHB nanofibrous scaffold. Overall, this study shows that using two‐nozzle electrospinning to constructing PLLA/PHB nanofibrous scaffold can improve its osteoconductive capacity, and also its combination with ADSCs can be a promising candidate to use in bone tissue engineering.