Eco-Friendly Fabrication of Secretome-Loaded, Glutathione-Extended Waterborne Polyurethane Nanofibers

Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Nov 28;26(23):11556. doi: 10.3390/ijms262311556.

Abstract

The development of advanced delivery systems for bioactive factors is a critical focus in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. In this study, we present a waterborne polyurethane (WPU)-based scaffold fabricated through a fully aqueous electrospinning process, providing a solvent-free and green method for delivering secretome derived from human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). We optimized the electrospinning parameters to enable efficient secretome incorporation while preserving fiber morphology, sterility, and biocompatibility. The resulting membranes exhibited a uniform nanofibrous architecture, supported high cell viability, and demonstrated effective secretome loading and release, detected following release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A over 24 h. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of WPU nanofibrous scaffolds as sustainable and functional platforms for the delivery of MSC-derived bioactive factors in biomedical applications.

Keywords: electrospinning; secretome delivery; waterborne polyurethane.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Glutathione* / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / cytology
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Nanofibers* / chemistry
  • Nanofibers* / ultrastructure
  • Polyurethanes* / chemistry
  • Secretome* / chemistry
  • Secretome* / metabolism
  • Tissue Engineering / methods
  • Tissue Scaffolds / chemistry
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism
  • Water / chemistry

Substances

  • Polyurethanes
  • Glutathione
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Water