Fabricating a robust POSS-PCL nanofiber scaffold for nesting of mesenchymal stem cells: potential application in bone tissue regeneration

BACKGROUND: According to recent studies, electrospun Poly (Ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) is an absorbing candidate for the formulation of biocompatible scaffolds used in tissue engineering. Tissue engineering is a set of techniques for producing or reconstructing tissue, whose primary purpose is to restore or improve the function of tissues in the human body. Tissue engineering combines the principles of materials and cell transplantation to develop alternative tissues or promote endogenous regeneration. However, this electrospun scaffold, consisting of PCL, has disadvantages such as low cell adhesion, inactivity of the surface, osteoinduction, and acidic destruction of the scaffold that causes inflammation at the implant site, often making it unsuitable implant. This study aimed to improve PCL base cellular scaffolds with the formulation of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane – Polycaprolactone (POSS-PCL) nanofiber scaffolds. The present research focuses on the synthesis of nanofibers for their cell interaction features, and application in bone tissue engineering and regeneration. RESULTS: POSS/ PCL Nanocomposites with 2, 5, and 10 wt.% of POSS were synthesized in the Trichloromethane, then POSS – PCL Nanofibers were prepared by the electrospinning technique. In this study, the structures of nanohybrids and nanofibers have been evaluated by FTIR, HNMR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and DSC. The biocompatibility of formulated POSS-PCL scaffolds was detected using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Then several parameters were examined, involving DCFH ROS detection system, gene expression (cell viability/apoptosis, osteogenesis potentiality, and redox molecular homeostasis. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, POSS-PCL nano-scaffolds in comparison with PCL have shown a robust potentiality in homing, growth, and differentiation of stem cells. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: Synthesis of POSS-PCL Nanofibers and their potential application in Bone Regeneration. [Image: see text]