Electrospun PCL-PIBMD/SF blend scaffolds with plasmid complexes for endothelial cell proliferation

Abstract

Tissue engineering scaffolds with gene delivery function play an important role in DNA-based vascular tissue engineering. In the present work, we used biodegradable polyester–polydepsipeptide, silk fibroin (SF) and gene complexes to prepare electrospun scaffolds encapsulating gene complexes in order to enhance the proliferation of endothelial cells. A series of nanofibrous scaffolds with different properties including fiber diameter, hydrophilicity, porosity and mechanical properties were prepared by electrospinning technology with adjusting the weight ratio of poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(isobutyl-morpholine-2,5-dione) (PCL-PIBMD) and SF. PCL-PIBMD/SF blend scaffolds were optimized to obtain the scaffolds with a weight ratio of 90/10 to have superior mechanical performance and good biocompatibility. pEGFP-ZNF580 plasmid (pZNF580) complexes were electrosprayed onto these PCL-PIBMD/SF blend scaffolds to promote the proliferation of endothelial cells. In order to maintain the stability and integrity of plasmid complexes loaded in scaffolds, the composite scaffolds were fabricated by alternatively layer-by-layer electrospinning and electrospraying techniques. These composite scaffolds showed obviously low platelet adhesion and good histocompatibility. They could effectively enhance the adhesion, spreading and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. These results indicated that the composite scaffolds could serve as an attractive platform to deliver therapeutic genes for vascular tissue engineering.