2. Academic Validation
  3. 3D nanofiber scaffolds from 2D electrospun membranes boost cell penetration and positive host response for regenerative medicine

3D nanofiber scaffolds from 2D electrospun membranes boost cell penetration and positive host response for regenerative medicine

  • J Nanobiotechnology. 2024 Jun 8;22(1):322. doi: 10.1186/s12951-024-02578-2.
Lingfei Xiao # 1,  Huifan Liu # 2,  Huayi Huang # 1,  Shujuan Wu 3,  Longjian Xue 4,  Zhen Geng 5 6,  Lin Cai 7,  Feifei Yan 8
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Spine Surgery and Musculoskeletal Tumor, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
  • 2 Department of Anesthesiology, Research Centre of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
  • 3 Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
  • 4 The Institute of Technological Science, School of Power and Mechanical Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China.
  • 5 Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China. nanboshan1987@163.com.
  • 6 National Center for Translational Medicine (Shanghai) SHU Branch, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China. nanboshan1987@163.com.
  • 7 Department of Spine Surgery and Musculoskeletal Tumor, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China. orthopedics@whu.edu.cn.
  • 8 Department of Spine Surgery and Musculoskeletal Tumor, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China. yanfeifei0120@whu.edu.cn.
  • # Contributed equally.
PMID: 38849858 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02578-2
Abstract

The ideal tissue engineering scaffold should facilitate rapid cell infiltration and provide an optimal immune microenvironment during interactions with the host. Electrospinning can produce two-dimensional (2D) membranes mimicking the extracellular matrix. However, their dense structure hinders cell penetration, and their thin form restricts scaffold utility. In this study, latticed hydrogels were three-dimensional (3D) printed onto electrospun membranes. This technique allowed for layer-by-layer assembly of the membranes into 3D scaffolds, which maintained their resilience impressively under both dry and wet conditions. We assessed the cellular and host responses of these 3D nanofiber scaffolds by comparing random membranes and mesh-like membranes with three different mesh sizes (250, 500, and 750 μm). It was found that scaffolds with a mesh size of 500 μm were superior for M2 macrophage phenotype polarization, vascularization, and matrix deposition. Furthermore, it was confirmed by subsequent experiments such as RNA Sequencing that the mesh-like topology may promote polarization to the M2 phenotype by affecting the PI3K/Akt pathway. In conclusion, our work offers a novel method for transforming 2D nanofiber membranes into 3D scaffolds. This method boasts flexibility, allowing for the use of varied electrospun membranes and hydrogels in terms of structure and composition. It has vast potential in tissue repair and regeneration.

Keywords

Electrospun nanofiber membranes; Macrophage polarization; Mesh-like; Three-dimensional scaffolds; Tissue engineering.

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