Advancing biomedical applications: antioxidant and biocompatible cerium oxide nanoparticle-integrated poly- ε-caprolactone fibers

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are expressed at high levels in many diseases, can be scavenged by cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO₂NPs). CeO₂NPs can cause significant cytotoxicity when administered directly to cells, but this cytotoxicity can be reduced if CeO₂NPs can be encapsulated in biocompatible polymers. In this study, CeO₂NPs were synthesized using a one-stage process, then purified, characterized, and then encapsulated into an electrospun poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) scaffold. The direct administration of CeO₂NPs to RAW 264.7 Macrophages resulted in reduced ROS levels but lower cell viability. Conversely, the encapsulation of nanoceria in a PCL scaffold was shown to lower ROS levels and improve cell survival. The study demonstrated an effective technique for encapsulating nanoceria in PCL fiber and confirmed its biocompatibility and efficacy. This system has the potential to be utilized for developing tissue engineering scaffolds, targeted delivery of therapeutic CeO₂NPs, wound healing, and other biomedical applications.

Keywords: anti-inflammatory; antioxidation; cerium oxide nanoparticles; electrospinning; nanofibers.