Sustainable Resource based Hyperbranched Epoxy Nanocomposite as an Infection Resistant, Biodegradable, Implantable Muscle Scaffold

Abstract

Use of sustainable resources in the realm of materials science has opened newer possibilities for fabricating biodegradable biomaterials. Cellulose is an abundantly available bioresource that proved excellent potential in composite science and the biomaterials domain. Hence, in this report the potentiality of a “green” CuO–nanofibrillar cellulose/glycerol based hyperbranched epoxy nanocomposite was presented as an implantable muscle tissue scaffold. Muscles reconstruction has been a longstanding problem in medical science. However, with the evolution of polymeric scaffolds, repairing of damaged or lost tissues becomes possible with the aid of tissue engineering. The prepared material possessed high mechanical properties (tensile strength 55 MPa) to support cell growth. In vitro studies revealed that the material could support the growth and proliferation of L6 muscle cells, without causing any detriment to their cellular morphology. Further, both in vitro and in vivo toxicity assessments established the profound biocompatibility of the material. Moreover, the nanocomposite exhibited inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans, the microorganisms responsible for various surgical site infections. In vivo investigation revealed the biodegradability of the prepared material which overrules the need of repeated surgery for any implantable biomaterial. Thus, the overall work endorses the sustainable resource based nanocomposite as a high performance, biodegradable, antimicrobial scaffold material for reconstruction of muscles tissues.