Biocompatible and antibacterial co-electrospun tragacanth gum and polyaniline nanofibers for skin tissue engineering

Developing novel nanofibrous skin substitutes using biomaterials that exhibit biocompatibility, suitable mechanical strength, and inherent antibacterial activity is essential. In this study, we fabricated polyvinyl alcohol/tragacanth gum/polyaniline (PVA/TG/PANI) nanofibrous membranes via co-electrospinning of PVA/TG and PVA/PANI. The membranes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, contact angle measurements, swelling tests, and mechanical examination. The co-electrospun nanofibers achieved an average fiber diameter of 176.45 ± 29 nm. Contact angle measurements confirmed the hydrophilicity of these membranes, which also exhibited favorable mechanical properties, including sufficient strength and flexibility. Cytocompatibility was assessed by culturing HDF-4 cells; the co-electrospun PVA/TG/PANI membrane demonstrated the highest cell viability at 91.94%, surpassing that of PVA/TG nanofibers. Furthermore, antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus was significantly enhanced in the co-electrospun nanofibers compared to the PVA/TG and PVA/PANI counterparts. Based on these findings, we propose the co-electrospun nanofibrous membrane as a promising scaffold candidate for skin tissue engineering applications.