Incorporation of curcumin into collagen-multiwalled carbon nanotubes nanocomposite scaffold: an in vitro and in vivo study

Abstract

AimFabrication of biological substitutes to regenerate damaged tissues or organs is one of the main aims of tissue engineering (TE). In this context, the goal of this study was to fabricate a scaffold that mimicked the structure and functions of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the native tissues. Towards this aim, a novel biomimetic three-dimensional (3D) scaffold containing collagen (COL), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and curcumin (CUR) was created using the freeze-drying technique. Materials and methodsScaffolds were prepared by adding 0.5–1.5% MWCNTs and 5–15% CUR to pure COL solutions, followed by freeze-drying. Physical and chemical characterizations of the scaffolds were evaluated by a universal testing machine, scanning electron microscope (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Biological studies were mainly focused on in-vitro bioactivity, biodegradability, CUR release, and in-vitro and in vivo biocompatibility using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and rat animal models. ResultsFTIR and XRD confirmed the presence of MWCNTs and CUR in the COL scaffolds, while SEM revealed highly interconnected porous morphology. Moreover, the addition of up to 1% MWCNTs and 10% CUR enhanced tensile strength from 5 MPa to 19 MPa. The developed COL-MWCNTs 1%-CUR 10% composite scaffolds revealed excellent surface wettability, in vitro bioactivity, and in vitro biocompatibility using rat synovial-derived MSCs (SM-MSCs). Importantly, the in vivo study revealed reduced inflammatory response in the rat animal model after six weeks of implantation, which could be attributed to the promising in vitro biodegradability and release of CUR. ConclusionThe newly developed COL-MWCNTs 1%-CUR 10% freeze-dried scaffolds have demonstrated their high potential for TE applications.