Air‐Spun PLA Nanofibers Modified with Reductively Sheddable Hydrophilic Surfaces for Vascular Tissue Engineering: Synthesis and Surface Modification

Abstract

Polylactide (PLA) is a class of promising biomaterials that hold great promise for various biological and biomedical applications, particularly in the field of vascular tissue engineering where it can be used as a fibrous mesh to coat the inside of vascular prostheses. However, its hydrophobic surface providing nonspecific interactions and its limited ability to further modifications are challenges that need to be overcome. Here, the development of new air-spun PLA nanofibers modified with hydrophilic surfaces exhibiting reduction response is reported. Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization allows for grafting pendant oligo(ethylene oxide)-containing polymethacrylate (POEOMA) from PLA air-spun fibers labeled with disulfide linkages. The resulting PLA-ss-POEOMA fibers exhibit enhanced thermal stability and improved surface properties, as well as thiol-responsive shedding of hydrophilic POEOMA by the cleavage of its disulfide linkages in response to reductive reactions, thus tuning the surface properties.

Superhydrophilic Polyurethane/Polydopamine Nanofibrous Materials Enhancing Cell Adhesion for Application in Tissue Engineering

“…In most cases, the electrospinning remains the first method of choice. However, Mercante et al [ 21 ] and Ko et al [ 23 ] showed that, with appropriate post-processing methods, nanofibrous materials for further hydrophilization could be successfully and efficiently produced using solution blow spinning. Nevertheless, Mercante with co-workers [ 21 ] decided to use a multi-step modification process that includes 48 h long reduction of graphene oxide coating.…”

“…Scientific literature provides numerous methods for changing and controlling surface properties of nanofibrous materials, especially in terms of controlled hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity [ 18 , 19 ]. Such methods include modifications like plasma treatment [ 20 , 21 ], wet chemical method [ 22 ], surface graft polymerization [ 23 ], co-spinning, target molecule loading [ 24 , 25 ], and polydopamine (PDA) bioinspired coating [ 26 ]. Among those methods, PDA coating exhibits high effectiveness and repeatability at a relatively low cost.…”

Design, Degradation Mechanism and Long‐Term Cytotoxicity of Poly(l‐lactide) and Poly(Lactide‐co‐ϵ‐Caprolactone) Terpolymer Film and Air‐Spun Nanofiber Scaffold

“…Indeed, these polymers are now currently used to fabricate orthopedic devices such as screws, pins and rods, plates, and microspheres for maxillofacial surgery and drug delivery system . Recently, a covalent‐grafting and release model of molecules directly from PLA‐based nanofiber surface was developed and demonstrated to be a promising avenue to offer suitable bioactive scaffold characteristics . In vascular surgery, poly( l ‐lactide) (PLLA) has also been recently manufactured and marketed as bioresorbable drug‐eluting stent .…”

Polymers in Cardiology

“…Additionally, PMMA is routinely produced by chain-growth polymerization of methyl methacrylate using radical or anionic initiations. In conjunction with vascular applications recently the development of air-spun PLA nanofibers grafted with pendant oligo(ethylene oxide)-containing polymethacrylate as hydrophilic scaffold modification for vascular tissue engineering was described [25].…”