Understanding the impact of crosslinked PCL/PEG/GelMA electrospun nanofibers on bactericidal activity

PLoS One. 2018 Dec 20;13(12):e0209386. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209386. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Herein, we report the design of electrospun ultrathin fibers based on the combination of three different polymers polycaprolactone (PCL), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA), and their potential bactericidal activity against three different bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We evaluated the morphology, chemical structure and wettability before and after UV photocrosslinking of the produced scaffolds. Results showed that the developed scaffolds presented hydrophilic properties after PEG and GelMA incorporation. Moreover, they were able to significantly reduce gram-positive, negative, and MRSA bacteria mainly after UV photocrosslinking (PCL:PEG:GelMa-UV). Furthermore, we performed a series of study for gaining a better mechanistic understanding of the scaffolds bactericidal activity through protein adsorption study and analysis of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Furthermore, the in vivo subcutaneous implantation performed in rats confirmed the biocompatibility of our designed scaffolds.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry
  • Biocompatible Materials / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line
  • Gelatin / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Materials Testing / methods
  • Methacrylates / chemistry
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Models, Animal
  • Nanofibers / chemistry*
  • Polyesters / chemistry
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Tissue Engineering / methods
  • Tissue Scaffolds / chemistry*
  • Wound Infection / microbiology
  • Wound Infection / prevention & control

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Methacrylates
  • Polyesters
  • polycaprolactone
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Gelatin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Serrapilheira Institute (grant number Serra-1709- 19479). The authors also acknowledge Northeastern University for funding this study. S. A. gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Sweden-America Foundation (The family Mix Entrepreneur foundation), Olle Engkvist byggmästare foundation and Swedish Chemical Society (Bengt Lundqvist Memory Foundation). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.