In Vitro Properties of Electrospun Composite Fibers Containing Boric Acid and Enhanced with Epidermal Growth Factor for Wound Dressing Applications

Abstract

AbstractThe requirements of the wound microenvironment, involving pH regulation, mechanical compatibility with skin, and prevention of bacterial attachment, highlight crucial considerations for advanced wound dressings. This study focused on electrospinning of poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) enriched with 3–5% boric acid particles. The fibers were also supplemented with epidermal growth factor (EGF) prior to in vitro cell culture experiments. The results revealed that the fibers, with micro-to-nano thickness, displayed unique morphologies as boric acid particles interacted with the PLCL. Boric acid-containing fibers showed lower swelling rates compared to pure PLCL fibers that achieved a swelling rate of 151 ± 10.3%. Nevertheless, they maintained slightly acidic conditions and adequate oxygen conductivity in vitro. The water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of fibers produced using a 5% boric acid-added PLCL was measured at 557 ± 20.9 g/m2day at 24 h, demonstrating competitive performance with commercial products. The incorporation of 5% boric acid in PLCL fibers significantly improved their maximum tensile stress, reaching 11.31 ± 0.82 MPa, as opposed to pure PLCL, which attained 6.92 ± 2.08 MPa. The Young's modulus values were determined as 190.53 ± 64.80 MPa for pure PLCL and 224.74 ± 91.66 MPa for PLCL containing 5% boric acid. In vitro fibroblast cell (3T3) proliferation on all fiber types did not show a significant difference compared to control. Fluorescent microscopy displayed a good adhesion and spread of cells on boric acid containing fibers. The addition of boric acid drastically reduced the attachment of Escherichia coli. The findings demonstrated the promising potential of electrospun PLCL fibers with incorporated boric acid as wound dressings.