Non-Fouling Biodegradable Poly(ϵ-caprolactone) Nanofibers for Tissue Engineering

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Surface Chemistry

Background:

• Poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibers mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) and are attractive for tissue engineering (TE).
• Unmodified PCL nanofibers are susceptible to protein fouling and subsequent inflammation in biological environments.
• Preventing non-specific protein adsorption is crucial for improving the biocompatibility of PCL-based TE scaffolds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a surface modification strategy for PCL nanofibers to resist protein fouling and cell adhesion.
• To investigate the efficacy of a biomimetic polydopamine (PDA) coating combined with antifouling polymer brushes.
• To evaluate the impact of surface modification on cell adhesion using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs).

Main Methods:

• Deposition of a biomimetic polydopamine (PDA) layer onto PCL nanofibers.
• Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) of antifouling polymer brushes from PDA-functionalized surfaces.
• Assessment of protein adsorption and cell (MEF) adhesion on modified and unmodified PCL nanofibers.

Main Results:

• PCL and PCL-PDA nanofibers showed rapid adhesion of MEFs and formation of cell-matrix adhesions (CMAs).
• Nanofibers modified with antifouling polymer brushes significantly suppressed non-specific protein adsorption.
• The antifouling polymer brush-modified nanofibers effectively inhibited MEF adhesion, unlike the PCL and PCL-PDA controls.

Conclusions:

• Surface modification of PCL nanofibers with PDA and antifouling polymer brushes is a viable strategy to prevent protein fouling.
• This approach significantly enhances the biocompatibility of PCL nanofibers by reducing unwanted protein adsorption and cell adhesion.
• The developed antifouling PCL nanofibers hold promise for advanced applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.