Disulfide-crosslinked electrospun poly(gamma-glutamic acid) nonwovens as reduction-responsive scaffolds

Macromol Biosci. 2009 Jun 11;9(6):568-74. doi: 10.1002/mabi.200800334.

Abstract

Novel water-insoluble, and reduction-responsive nonwoven scaffolds were fabricated from gamma-PGA and tested in cell culture. An electrospinning method was developed to produce scaffolds of fibers with diameters of 0.05-0.5 microm. Crosslinking of the fibers with cystamine in the presence of EDC resulted in water-insoluble gamma-PGA nonwovens with disulfide crosslinkages. These crosslinked fibers were easily decomposed under physiological conditions using L-cysteine, a biocompatible reductant. In vitro experiments with mouse L929 fibroblasts showed good adhesion onto gamma-PGA-SS fiber matrices and excellent cell proliferation. These gamma-PGA-SS nonwovens can be used as novel biocompatible and biodegradable scaffolds with reduction-responsiveness for biomedical or tissue engineering applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Adhesion / drug effects
  • Cell Count
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cross-Linking Reagents / chemistry*
  • Cross-Linking Reagents / pharmacology
  • Cysteine
  • Disulfides / chemistry*
  • Fibroblasts / cytology
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / ultrastructure
  • Mice
  • Polyglutamic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Polyglutamic Acid / chemistry
  • Polyglutamic Acid / pharmacology
  • Time Factors
  • Tissue Scaffolds*

Substances

  • Cross-Linking Reagents
  • Disulfides
  • poly(gamma-glutamic acid)
  • Polyglutamic Acid
  • Cysteine