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. 2021 Nov 1;25(6):408-16.
doi: 10.52547/ibj.25.6.408.

Effect of Dioxane and N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone as a Solvent on Biocompatibility and Degradation Performance of PLGA/nHA Scaffolds

Neda Aboudzadeh  1 , Alireza Khavandi  1 , Jafar Javadpour  1 , Mohammad Ali Shokrgozar  2 , Mohammad Imani  3
Affiliations

Effect of Dioxane and N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone as a Solvent on Biocompatibility and Degradation Performance of PLGA/nHA Scaffolds

Neda Aboudzadeh et al. Iran Biomed J. .

Abstract

Background: Solvent casting/particulate leaching is one of the most conventional methods for fabricating polymer/ceramic composite scaffolds. In this method, the solvent generally affects resulting scaffold properties, including porosity and degradation rate.

Methods: Herein, composite scaffolds of PLGA (poly(lactide-co-glycolide))/ nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) with different percentages of nHA (25, 35, and 45 wt. %) were prepared by the solvent casting/particle leaching combined with freeze drying. The effects of two different solvents, 1,4-dioxane (DIO) and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), on morphology, porosity, bioactivity, degradation rate, and biocompatibility of the resulting scaffolds were investigated.

Results: The results revealed that increasing the nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) percentages had no significant effect on the porosity and interconectivity of scaffolds (p > 0.05), whereas altering the solvent from DIO into NMP decreased the porosity from about 87% into 71%, respectively. Moreover, scaffolds of DIO illustrated the high results of cell proliferation compared to those of NMP; the cell viability of GD25 decreased from 85% to 65% for GN25. The findings also indicated that scaffolds prepared by NMP had a higher rate of losing weight in comparison to DIO. Adding nHA to PLGA had a significant effect on the bioactivity of scaffolds (p < 0.05), composite scaffolds with 45 wt % nHA had at least 30% more weight gain compared to the neat polymer scaffolds.

Conclusion: The DIO scaffolds have higher rates of porosity, interconnectivity, bioactivity, and biocompatibility than NMP scaffolds due to its high evaporation rate.

Keywords: Freeze drying; Porosity; Solvents.

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
SEM micrographs of scaffolds (A) GD0, (B) GD25, (C) GD35, and (D) GD45
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
SEM micrographs of scaffolds (A) GN0, (B) GN25, (C) GN35, and (D) GN45
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
SEM micrographs of porous PLGA/nHA scaffolds by (A) NMP and (B) DIO as a solvent
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Porosity percentages of various nHAs containing scaffolds (*p < 0.05)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Weight gain value of the samples after incubation in SBF for 48 h. Three samples of each group were selected and examined
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Effect of nHA content in a weight loss of nanocomposite scaffolds (a) NMP and (b) DIO as solvents
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Effect of solvent on the degradation of nanocomposite for PLGA/nHA (A) 0%, (B) 25%, (C) 35%, and (D) 45%.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Cell proliferation assay for G-292 cells grown on nanocomposite scaffolds. (*p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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