Ann Biomed Technol Eng | Volume 1, Issue 1 | Research Article | Open Access

A Novel Design of a PVA Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffold Incorporating Liposomes as Drug Delivery Carriers for Tissue Engineering

Athina Mitropoulou1,2, Dionysios Markatos1, Sophia Antimisiaris2 and Dimosthenis Mavrilas1*

1Department of Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics, University of Patras, Greece
2Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Greece

*Correspondance to: Dimosthenis Mavrilas 

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Abstract

Electrospinning is an emerging technology for the production of fibrous biodegradable polymeric scaffolds. Liposomes have received widespread attention as carriers of therapeutically active compounds due to their unique characteristics. The combination of liposomes with electrospun nanofibers may result in a scaffold with high efficiency in tissue regeneration as the controlled degradation and high surface-to-volume ratio of nanofibers, make them excellent carriers for therapeutic or tissue regeneration agents. The aim of this work was to develop a novel scaffold for Tissue Engineering (TE) applications, incorporating a drug delivery system based on PVA nanofibers enriched with drug-loaded liposomes. Two liposomal compositions were considered, i.e. -1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine: Cholesterol-[DSPC/Chol] and Phosphatidylcholine: [PC]. We showed that blend electro spinning of PVA leads to successful incorporation of liposomes into the fibers for both liposomal compositions. Morphology of the fibers and incorporation of liposomes into the fibers was examined by SEM and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy. The integrity of the liposomes embedded on the electrospun fibers, was determined fluorometrically by measuring the calcein retention in liposomes (Latency). It was proven that between the two types of embedded liposomes, DSPC/Chol liposomes exhibited a high retention of the encapsulated calcein in contrast with the PC liposomes which presented a rather low one. Given the combined properties of liposomes and nanofibers, the above system could serve as a convenient delivery vehicle for a number of biologically active compounds in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Keywords:

Drug delivery; Electrospinning; Liposomes; Polymeric scaffolds; PVA

Citation:

Mitropoulou A, Markatos D, Antimisiaris S, Mavrilas D. A Novel Design of a PVA Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffold Incorporating Liposomes as Drug Delivery Carriers for TissueEngineering. Ann Biomed Technol Eng.2018; 1(1): 1003.

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