3D Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Encapsulation-Controlled Vancomycin Delivery: Antibacterial Performance and...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Engineering
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Developing reproducible, long-acting local therapies requires innovative drug delivery platforms.
• Traditional methods often rely heavily on drug concentration rather than scaffold architecture.
• Nanofibrous scaffolds offer tunable properties for controlled therapeutic agent release.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer poly(L-lactic acid)/polyethene glycol (PLLA/PEG) nanofibrous scaffolds for controlled vancomycin release.
• To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy, cytocompatibility, and hemocompatibility of these vancomycin-loaded scaffolds.
• To investigate the role of scaffold architecture in achieving reproducible, long-acting local therapies.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of 3D PLLA/PEG scaffolds using solution blow spinning (SBS).
• Characterization using SEM, contact angle, FTIR, DSC, and TGA.
• In vitro assessment of antimicrobial activity (disk diffusion), cytocompatibility (Live/Dead assay), and hemocompatibility (hemolysis test).

Main Results:

• Optimized PLLA/PEG 85:15 scaffolds exhibited high porosity and wettability.
• Vancomycin incorporation modulated fiber diameter and demonstrated biphasic release kinetics.
• PLLA/PEG-vancomycin scaffolds showed superior antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus compared to free vancomycin.
• Scaffolds displayed acceptable hemocompatibility and no significant cytotoxicity.

Conclusions:

• The PLLA/PEG nanofibrous scaffold architecture is a viable platform for controlled vancomycin delivery.
• These scaffolds demonstrate potential for effective, long-acting antimicrobial local therapy.
• Applications include wound dressings and implant coatings for infection prevention.