Silver-Doped PCL-Silk Fibroin Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffolds with Synergistic Osteogenic and Antimicrobial...

This study reports the fabrication and comprehensive characterizations of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)-doped polycaprolactone-silk fibroin (PCL-SF) scaffolds designed to combine cytocompatibility with osteogenic and antibacterial functions pertinent to bone regeneration. SF derived from Bombyx mori cocoons was blended with PCL, and AgNPs were incorporated at trace doping concentrations (0.05-0.1% w/v) to establish a specific therapeutic window in PCL-SF electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds to optimize the balance between strong osteogenic and antibacterial activity. Successful SF isolation was confirmed by FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analyses. All nanofiber (NF) groups exhibited uniform morphologies with diameters ranging from 228 to 329 nm. The optimized PCL-SF-0.1% Ag groups showed enhanced tensile strength (69%) when compared with PCL-SF, along with improved hydrophilicity, reduced from 106° to 61° compared to pure PCL. This was accompanied by a controlled degradation profile, with weight loss increasing from 12.66% (PCL) to 21.6% and a corresponding rise in swelling ratio from 11.24% to 33.78%. Evidently, significant inhibition of Escherichia coli ∼ 48.24% and Staphylococcus aureus ∼ 46.26% and prominent ZOI along with superior bone cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity confirm that enhanced osteogenesis could be achieved for PCL-SF-0.1% Ag NFs. Collectively, the dual-action efficacy of AgNP-doped PCL-SF scaffolds underscores their potential in repairing infected bone defects.