National Orthopedics Centre of Excellence in Research and Learning (NOCERAL), Department of Orthopedics Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
National Orthopedics Centre of Excellence in Research and Learning (NOCERAL), Department of Orthopedics Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Int J Biol Macromol. 2014 Mar;64:115-22. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2013.11.039. Epub 2013 Dec 8.
In this study, a chitosan co-polymer scaffold was prepared by mixing poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), NO, carboxymethyl chitosan (NOCC) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) solutions to obtain desirable properties for chondrocyte cultivation. Electron beam (e-beam) radiation was used to physically cross-link these polymers at different doses (30 kGy and 50 kGy). The co-polymers were then lyophilized to form macroporous three-dimensional (3-D) matrix. Scaffold morphology, porosity, swelling properties, biocompatibility, expression of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and type II collagen following the seeding of primary chondrocytes were studied up to 28 days. The results demonstrate that irradiation of e-beam at 50 kGy increased scaffold porosity and pore sizes subsequently enhanced cell attachment and proliferation. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed extensive interconnected microstructure of PVA-PEG-NOCC, demonstrated cellular activities on the scaffolds and their ability to maintain chondrocyte phenotype. In addition, the produced PVA-PEG-NOCC scaffolds showed superior swelling properties, and increased GAG and type II collagen secreted by the seeded chondrocytes. In conclusion, the results suggest that by adding NOCC and irradiation cross-linking at 50 kGy, the physical and biological properties of PVA-PEG blend can be further enhanced thereby making PVA-PEG-NOCC a potential scaffold for chondrocytes.
在这项研究中，通过混合聚乙烯醇（PVA）、NO、羧甲基壳聚糖（NOCC）和聚乙二醇（PEG）溶液来制备壳聚糖共聚物支架，以获得适合软骨细胞培养的理想特性。电子束（e-beam）辐射被用于在不同剂量（30 kGy 和 50 kGy）下物理交联这些聚合物。然后将共聚物冻干以形成大孔三维（3-D）基质。研究了支架形态、孔隙率、溶胀性能、生物相容性、在接种原代软骨细胞后的糖胺聚糖（GAG）和 II 型胶原表达情况，直到 28 天。结果表明，在 50 kGy 的电子束辐照下增加了支架的孔隙率和孔径，随后增强了细胞的附着和增殖。扫描电子显微镜和透射电子显微镜揭示了 PVA-PEG-NOCC 的广泛互连的微观结构，显示了细胞在支架上的活性及其维持软骨细胞表型的能力。此外，所制备的 PVA-PEG-NOCC 支架具有优异的溶胀性能，并增加了接种的软骨细胞分泌的 GAG 和 II 型胶原。总之，结果表明，通过添加 NOCC 和在 50 kGy 下进行辐照交联，可以进一步增强 PVA-PEG 共混物的物理和生物特性，从而使 PVA-PEG-NOCC 成为软骨细胞的潜在支架。
