Excessive
bleeding in traumatic hemorrhage is the primary concern
for natural wound healing and the main reason for trauma deaths. The
three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting of bioinks offers the desired structural
complexity vital for hemostasis activity and targeted cell proliferation
in rapid and controlled wound healing. However, it is challenging
to develop suitable bioinks to fabricate specific 3D scaffolds desirable
in wound healing. In this work, a 3D composite scaffold is designed
using bioprinting technology and synergistic hemostasis mechanisms
of cellulose nanofibrils (TCNFs), chitosan, and casein to control
blood loss in traumatic hemorrhage. Bioinks that consist of casein
bioconjugated TCNF (with a casein content of 104.5 ± 34.1 mg/g)
using the carbodiimide cross-linker chemistry were subjected to bioprinting
for customizable 3D scaffold fabrication. Further, the 3D composite
scaffolds were in situ cross-linked using a green
ionic complexation approach. The covalent conjugation among TCNF,
casein, and chitosan was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR)
spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy (XPS), sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
(SDS-PAGE), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The in vitro hemostasis activity of the 3D composite scaffold was analyzed by
a human thrombin–antithrombin (TAT) assay and adsorption of
red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets. The 3D composite scaffold had
a better swelling behavior and a faster whole blood clotting rate
at each time point than the 3D TCNF scaffold and commercial cellulose-based
dressings. The TAT assay demonstrated that the 3D composite scaffold
could form a higher content of thrombin (663.29 pg/mL) and stable
blood clot compared to a cellulosic pad (580.35 pg/mL), 3D TCNF (457.78
pg/mL), and cellulosic gauze (328.92 pg/mL), which are essential for
faster blood coagulation. In addition, the 3D composite scaffold had
a lower blood clotting index (23.34%) than the 3D TCNF scaffold (41.93%),
suggesting higher efficiencies for RBC entrapping to induce blood
clotting. The in vivo cytocompatibility was evaluated
by a 3D cell culture study, and results showed that the 3D composite
scaffold could promote growth and proliferation of NIH 3T3 fibroblast
cells, which is vital for wound healing. Cellulase-based in
vitro deconstruction of the 3D composite scaffold showed
significant weight loss (80 ± 5%) compared to the lysozyme hydrolysis
(22 ± 5%) after 28 days of incubation, suggesting the biodegradation
potential of the composite scaffold. In conclusion, this study proposes
efficient prospects to develop a 3D composite scaffold from bioprinting
of TCNF-based bioinks that can accelerate blood clotting and wound
healing, suggesting its potential application in reducing blood loss
during traumatic hemorrhage.
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