Electrospun Nanofibers Revisited: An Update on the Emerging Applications in Nanomedicine

Abstract

Electrospinning (ES) has become a straightforward and customizable drug delivery technique for fabricating drug-loaded nanofibers (NFs) using various biodegradable and non-biodegradable polymers. One of NF's pros is to provide a controlled drug release through managing the NF structure by changing the spinneret type and nature of the used polymer. Electrospun NFs are employed as implants in several applications including, cancer therapy, microbial infections, and regenerative medicine. These implants facilitate a unique local delivery of chemotherapy because of their high loading capability, wide surface area, and cost-effectiveness. Multi-drug combination, magnetic, thermal, and gene therapies are promising strategies for improving chemotherapeutic efficiency. In addition, implants are recognized as an effective antimicrobial drug delivery system overriding drawbacks of traditional antibiotic administration routes such as their bioavailability and dosage levels. Recently, a sophisticated strategy has emerged for wound healing by producing biomimetic nanofibrous materials with clinically relevant properties and desirable loading capability with regenerative agents. Electrospun NFs have proposed unique solutions, including pelvic organ prolapse treatment, viable alternatives to surgical operations, and dental tissue regeneration. Conventional ES setups include difficult-assembled mega-sized equipment producing bulky matrices with inadequate stability and storage. Lately, there has become an increasing need for portable ES devices using completely available off-shelf materials to yield highly-efficient NFs for dressing wounds and rapid hemostasis. This review covers recent updates on electrospun NFs in nanomedicine applications. ES of biopolymers and drugs is discussed regarding their current scope and future outlook.

Keywords: biopolymers; electrospinning; implants; nanofibers; nanomedicine; targeted delivery; wound healing.

Figure 1

Techniques for nanofiber production.

Figure 2

Ex vivo imaging of collected organs (1 tumor, 2 hearts, 3 livers, 4 spleens, 5 lungs and 6 kidneys) at 1, 24 and 48 h following the implantation of electrospun nanofibers into the mice’s vaginas. Reprinted with permission from ref. [36].

Figure 3

Coaxial electrospinning-prepared implantable Doxorubicin-loaded micelles in NFs for effective cancer therapy. Reprinted with permission from ref. [40].

Figure 4

Development of a barrier membrane using the ES technique for the localized delivery of antibacterial agent in GBR/GTR applications.

Figure 5

Sandwich-type NF skin grafts. Reprinted with permission from ref. [104].

Figure 6

Schematic presentation for implementing electrospun NF implants in dental tissue regeneration. Republished under permission from ref. [109].

Figure 7

Wound appearance at 0, 5, 10 and 15 days after grafting with poly(dopamine methacrylamide-co-methyl methacrylate) (MADO)-AgNPs, MADO NF, and control [163].

Figure 8

A gelatin (GT)/PCL NF membrane with Ag and Mg ions (GT/PCL-Ag-Mg) was fabricated, and its antibacterial and angiogenesis functions were demonstrated using in vitro and in vivo studies.

Figure 9

(a) Schematic diagram of the portable EHD device. (b) A photograph showing the assembly of the mini device held in hand. (c–e) Snapshots of real-time recording of the operation of the mini EHD device generating nanofibers onto a mock wound in situ [188] (Reproduced CC BY license).

Figure 10

(a) Fabrication of EPU/FPU/Thymol nanofibrous membranes using the ES portable device. (b) Demonstrative scheme of the breathable, waterproof and antibacterial action of EPU/FPU/Thymol nanofibers. Republished under the permission of Yue et al. [154].

Figure 11

Implementing the portable ES device in an intestinal incision. With permission from ref. [192].

Figure 12

Schematic diagram of the electric field-modified e-spinning NOCA fibers for liver resection hemostasis.