Reduced Fibroblast Activation on Electrospun Polycaprolactone Scaffolds.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Cell Biology
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Fibroblasts are crucial in tissue repair but their chronic activation drives fibrotic diseases.
• In vitro models often fail to replicate the complex 3D microenvironment, leading to inconsistent fibroblast behavior.
• Material properties like mechanical stiffness and micro-architecture significantly influence cell mechanotransduction and activation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the activation traits of human oral fibroblasts cultured on electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) microfibrous scaffolds.
• To evaluate the potential of electrospinning as a controllable platform for studying fibroblast activation in vitro.
• To investigate the impact of 3D microfibrous scaffolds on fibroblast proliferation, senescence, and activation markers.

Main Methods:

• Human oral fibroblasts were cultured on electrospun PCL microfibrous scaffolds for over 7 days.
• Cell proliferation was assessed via KI67 expression.
• Cellular senescence was evaluated.
• Alpha-smooth muscle actin (A-SMA) mRNA levels and extracellular matrix (ECM) gene expression were quantified.

Main Results:

• Fibroblast proliferation rates were reduced on scaffolds compared to 2D cultures, with low KI67 expression.
• No evidence of cellular senescence was observed in cells cultured on scaffolds.
• A-SMA mRNA levels and ECM protein-coding gene expression decreased on the scaffolds.
• Electrospun scaffolds demonstrated tuneable mechanical properties and micro-architecture.

Conclusions:

• Electrospun PCL microfibrous scaffolds provide a controllable 3D in vitro model for studying fibroblast behavior.
• These scaffolds reduce fibroblast activation and proliferation, offering a valuable tool to investigate mechanisms underlying fibrotic diseases.
• The tuneable nature of electrospun scaffolds allows for precise manipulation of the microenvironment to study cell responses.