Chitosan based extruded nanofibrous bioscaffold for local delivery of mesenchymal stem cells to improve diabetic wound healing

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-based treatment strategy has shown promise in bolstering the healing process of chronic wounds in diabetic patients, who are at risk of amputation and mortality. To overcome the drawbacks of suboptimal cell retention and diminished cell viability at the injury site, a novel nanofibrous biomaterial-based scaffold was developed by using a controlled extrusion of a polymeric solution to deliver the cells (human adipose-derived MSCs (ADMSCs) and placenta-derived MSCs (PLMSCs)) locally to the animal model of diabetic ulcers.

Methods: The physicochemical and biological properties of the nano-bioscaffold were characterized in terms of microscopic images, FTIR spectroscopy, tensile testing, degradation and swelling tests, contact angle measurements, MTT assay, and cell attachment evaluation. To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy, a study using an excisional wound model was conducted on diabetic rats.

Results: The SEM and AFM images of scaffolds revealed a network of uniform nanofibers with narrow diameters between 100-130 nm and surface roughness less than 5 nm, respectively. ADMSCs and PLMSCs had a typical spindle-shaped or fibroblast-like morphology when attached to the scaffold. Desired characteristics in terms of swelling, hydrophilicity, biodegradation rate, and biocompatibility were achieved with the CS70 formulation. The wound healing process was accelerated according to wound closure rate assay upon treatment with MSCs loaded scaffold resulting in increased re-epithelialization, neovascularization, and less inflammatory reaction. Our findings unequivocally demonstrated that the cell-loaded nano-bioscaffold exhibited more efficacy compared with its acellular counterpart. In summation, our study underscores the potential of this innovative cellular scaffold as a viable solution for enhancing the healing of diabetic ulcers.

Conclusion: The utilization of MSCs in a nanofibrous biomaterial framework demonstrates significant promise, providing a novel avenue for advancing wound care and diabetic ulcer management.