Peptide functionalized polyhydroxyalkanoate nanofibrous scaffolds enhance Schwann cells activity

Interactions between Schwann cells (SCs) and scaffolds are important for tissue development during nerve regeneration, because SCs physiologically assist in directing the growth of regenerating axons. In this study, we prepared electrospun scaffolds combining poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) functionalized with either collagen I, H-Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser-OH (GRGDS), H-Tyr-Ile-Gly-Ser-Arg-NH2 (YIGSR), or H-Arg-Asn-Ile-Ala-Glu-Ile-Ile-Lys-Asp-Ile-OH (p20) neuromimetic peptides to mimic naturally occurring ECM motifs for nerve regeneration. Cells cultured on fibrous mats presenting these biomolecules showed a significant increase in metabolic activity and proliferation while exhibiting unidirectional orientation along the orientation of the fibers. Real-time PCR showed cells cultured on peptide-modified scaffolds had a significantly higher neurotrophin expression compared to those on untreated nanofibers. Our study suggests that biofunctionalized aligned PHB/PHBV nanofibrous scaffolds may elicit essential cues for SCs activity and could serve as a potential scaffold for nerve regeneration. From the clinical editor: Nanotechnology-based functionalized scaffolds represent one of the most promising approaches in peripheral nerve recovery, as well as spinal cord recovery. In this study, bio-functionalized and aligned PHB/PHBV nanofibrous scaffolds were found to elicit essential cues for Schwann cell activity, therefore could serve as a potential scaffold for nerve regeneration.