Chitosan and ibuprofen grafted electrospun polylactic acid/gelatin membrane mitigates inflammatory response

Electrospun membranes with biomimetic fibrous structures and high specific surfaces benefit cell proliferation and tissue regeneration but are prone to cause chronic inflammation and foreign body response. To solve these problems, we herein report an approach to functionalize electrospun membranes with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory components to modulate inflammatory responses and improve implantation outcomes. Specifically, electrospun polylactic acid (PLA)/gelatin (Gel) fibers were grafted with chitosan (CS) and ibuprofen (IBU) via carbodiimide chemistry. Our results show that the surface modification strategy endows electrospun membranes with moderate antibacterial activities and sustained release of anti-inflammatory drugs. The electrospun PLA/Gel-CS-IBU membrane showed good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity as evidenced by suppressing M1 polarization and promoting M2 polarization of macrophagesin vitro. Similarly, it induced significantly milder chronic inflammatory responsesin vivothan unmodified electrospun membranes. Given the good anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects, this strategy might improve the biological performance of electrospun membranes as implants in clinics.