Fine-Tuning of Hydrophilic Properties of Asymmetrically Porous Poly(ε-Caprolactone)-Based Nanofibrous Scaffolds Containing Dexamethasone for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications

Abstract

Bone abnormalities and injuries provide serious medical issues. Bone has the ability for regeneration; however, its regenerative potential is limited. Tissue engineering has gained significant attention as a potential treatment for bone abnormalities. In this study, poly-caprolactone (PCL)-based nanofibers containing various concentrations of poly-ethyl-2-oxazoline (PEtOx) and loaded with Dexamethasone (Dex) were prepared and evaluated as multifunctional bioscaffolds for bone regeneration. Various techniques were employed to characterize the feature of the electrospun scaffolds including ¹H-NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and gel permission chromatography (GPC). The swelling degree, mechanical property, degradation behavior, and drug release profile were also evaluated. The cell viability of the electrospun nanofibers on human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) were examined by MTT, and osteogenic differentiation potency was studied by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and calcium deposition assessments. According to the findings, a higher PEtOx concentration in the polymer solution reduced the nanofiber diameter while increasing the swelling rate, mass loss amount, and Young's modulus of the produced scaffolds. The release profile of Dex from the electrospun scaffold influenced osteogenic differentiation in stem cells. The scaffold revealed promising features that could be employed for further bone injury studies.