Preparation and characterization of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate)/pullulan-gelatin electrospun nanofibers with shell-core structure

Biomed Mater. 2020 Jun 29;15(4):045023. doi: 10.1088/1748-605X/ab7e7a.

Abstract

In this study, hydrophilic pullulan, which is favorable for cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation, was selected as a modifier for the preparation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB-co-4HB))/pullulan nanofibers via electrospinning to improve the biocompatibility of P(3HB-co-4HB) and increase the drug loading of composite fibers. Alkyl polyglycoside was used as the emulsifying agent to promote emulsification and stabilize the P(3HB-co-4HB)/pullulan composite solution. Drug-loading property of the nanofibers with a shell-core structure is increased because gelatin was not formed into fibers via electrospinning, thereby forming a stable drug-containing gelatin solution in the core layer. Finally, P(3HB-co-4HB)/pullulan-gelatin shell-core nanofibers were prepared. The intermolecular interaction, morphology, crystallization properties, mechanical properties, morphology, sustained release, and biocompatibility of composite nanofibers were characterized. Results show that the crystallization property of P(3HB-co-4HB)/pullulan composite nanofibers increases continuously with an increase in the pullulan content. As the pullulan content increases, the strain and stress of P(3HB-co-4HB)/pullulan nanofibers increase initially and decrease later. At the mass ratio of P(3HB-co-4HB) to pullulan of 10:2, P(3HB-co-4HB)/pullulan composite nanofibers exhibit a uniform morphology with an average diameter of 590 nm and porosity of 70.71%. At this mass ratio, the P(3HB-co-4HB)/pullulan-gelatin/drug shell-core structure, which sustained a release effect for more than 180 h, has potential applications as biomaterials without cytotoxicity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3-Hydroxybutyric Acid / chemistry*
  • Animals
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Crystallization
  • Gelatin / chemistry*
  • Glucans
  • Hydroxybutyrates / chemistry*
  • Materials Testing
  • Nanofibers / chemistry*
  • Polyesters / chemistry*
  • Porosity
  • Rats
  • Schwann Cells / drug effects*
  • Skin
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • Stress, Mechanical
  • Tissue Scaffolds
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Glucans
  • Hydroxybutyrates
  • Polyesters
  • poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate)
  • pullulan
  • Gelatin
  • 3-Hydroxybutyric Acid