Ferulic acid-loaded collagen hydrolysate and polycaprolactone nanofibres for tissue engineering applications

Abstract

There is a great need for the progress of composite biomaterials, which are effective for tissue engineering applications. In this work, the development of composite electrospun nanofibres based on polycaprolactone (PCL) and collagen hydrolysate (CH) loaded with ferulic acid (FA) for the treatment of chronic wounds. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) has been applied to nanofibres factor manufacturing assisted by electrospinning. For wound healing applications, the authors have created the efficacy of CH, and PCL membranes can act as a stable, protective cover for wound, enabling continuous FA release. The findings of the RSM showed a reasonably good fit with a polynomial equation of the second order which was statistically acceptable at P < 0.05. The optimised parameters include the quantity of hydrolysate collagen, the voltage applied and the distance from tip-to-collector. Based on the Box-Behnken design, the RSM was used to create a mathematical model and optimise nanofibres with minimum diameter production conditions. Using FTIR, TGA and SEM, optimised nanofibres were defined. In vitro, cytocompatibility trials showed that there was an important cytocompatibility of the optimised nanofibres, which was proved by cell proliferation and cell morphology. In this research, the mixed nanofibres of PCL and CH with ferulic could be a potential biomaterial for wound healing.

Fig. 1

Effect of variables on electrospun fibre diameter in 3D views

Fig. 2

SEM of ESNF membranes (a) PCL, (b) Optimised PCL/CH/FA, and diameter distributions of PCL and PCL/CH/FA, (c) EDX spectrum of optimised PCL/CH/FA

Fig. 3

FTIR analysis of (a) Native FA, (b) PCL, (c) CH, (d) Optimised PCL–CH–FA

Fig. 4

XRD analysis of (a) FA, (b) PCL, (c) Optimised PCL/CH–FA

Fig. 5

(a) Cumulative release profile of FA from FA loaded PCL/collagen Hydrolysate nanofibre scaffolds, (b) The Measured tensile curves of PCL and optimised PCL–CH–FA nanofibre membranes.

Fig. 6

WCAs of (a) PCL, (b) Optimised PCL/CH/FA electrospun fibrous membranes, (c) In‐vitro cell biocompatibility study of PCL and PCL–CH–FA blend films on NIH3T3 cells at different time (Day‐1, Day‐3, and Day‐5) intervals

Fig. 7

SEM micrographs of the NIH3T3 cells incubated for 5 days on (a) PCL, (b) PCL–CH–FA, (c) Fluorescence microscopic image analysis of NIH3T3 cells stained with DAPI and Rh‐123 for intercellular nuclear membrane integrity and mitochondrial membrane stability. The NIH3T3 cells were treated with developed PCL and PCL/CH/FA composite nanofibre of FA for 3 days intervals. Control, PCL, optimised PCL–CH–FA. Scale bar measures 50 µm

Fig. 8

Phase‐contrast images of in‐vitro wound healing activities of fibroblasts cells in the scratch assay after incubation of 24 h