Electrospun core-sheath PCL nanofibers loaded with nHA and simvastatin and their potential bone regeneration applications

Chenghui Qian; Yubo Liu; Si Chen; Chenyang Zhang; Xiaohong Chen; Yuehua Liu; Ping Liu

doi:10.3389/fbioe.2023.1205252

Electrospun core-sheath PCL nanofibers loaded with nHA and simvastatin and their potential bone regeneration applications

Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2023 Jul 26:11:1205252. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1205252. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Chenghui Qian^{1

2}, Yubo Liu³, Si Chen^{1

2}, Chenyang Zhang^{1

2}, Xiaohong Chen^{3

4}, Yuehua Liu^{1

2}, Ping Liu^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Shanghai Stomatological Hospital and School of Stomatology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
² Shanghai Key Laboratory of Craniomaxillofacial Development and Diseases, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
³ School of Materials and Chemistry, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
⁴ Shanghai Engineering Technology Research Center for High-Performance Medical Device Materials, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Introduction: Drugs and biocompatible nanoparticles have raised significant potential in advancing the bone regeneration. Electrospinning technology enables the full realization of the value of drugs and nanoparticles. Methods: In this study, we have successfully fabricated core-sheath nanofibers solely composed of polycaprolactone (PCL) polymer. Simvastatin (SIM) was confined to the core of the nanofibers while nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) was loaded on the nanofiber surface. Results: All the prepared nanofibers exhibited a cylindrical micromorphology, and the core-sheath structure was exploited using a Transmission Electron Microscope. X-ray pattern results indicated that SIM was in an amorphous state within nanofibers, while Fourier Transform InfraRed spectroscopy showed excellent chemical compatibility among SIM, nHA, and PCL. The actual loading of nHA within the nanofiber was determined by a thermogravimetric test due to the high melting point of nHA. Core-sheath nanofibers could release SIM for 672 h, which was attributed to the core-sheath structure. Furthermore, nanofibers loaded with SIM or nHA had a positive impact on cell proliferation, with the core-sheath nanofibers displaying the most favorable cell proliferation behavior. Discussion: Such a synergistic facilitation strategy based on materials and nanostructure may encourage researchers to exploit new biomedical materials in future.

Keywords: coaxial electrospinning; core-sheath structure; nanofibers; simvastatin; sustained release.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51201107).