Optimization of Process-Control Parameters for the Diameter of Electrospun Hydrophilic Polymeric Composite Nanofibers

A composite nanofiber composed of three polymers, namely polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl pyrrolidone/polyethylene oxide, is produced. The experiments are constructed using three design of experiment techniques, Taguchi L9, Taguchi L27, and Screening method. The experiments are verified using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method and later a mathematical model is developed using the regression method. The impact of electrospun processing parameters, namely applied voltage, flow rate, and working distance, on nanofibers' diameter is measured. The working distance is a significant factor in controlling the size of the fiber diameter, while the applied voltage has the lowest effect on it. As a result of the regression equation, a Genetic algorithm is used to find the optimum variables for the required fiber diameter, which is 156 nm for flow rate = 0.001 mL h−1, voltage = 30 kV, and distance = 200 mm with a 3% difference from the experimental fiber diameter

Vitamin D3/vitamin K2/magnesium-loaded polylactic acid/tricalcium phosphate/polycaprolactone composite nanofibers demonstrated osteoinductive effect by increasing Runx2 via Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Vitamin D3, vitamin K2, and Mg (10%, 1.25%, and 5%, w/w, respectively)-loaded PLA (12%, w/v) (TCP (5%, w/v))/PCL (12%, w/v) 1:1 (v/v) composite nanofibers (DKMF) were produced by electrospinning method (ES) and their osteoinductive effects were investigated in cell culture test. Neither pure nanofibers nor DKMF caused a significant cytotoxic effect in fibroblasts. The induction of the stem cell differentiation into osteogenic cells was observed in the cell culture with both DKMF and pure nanofibers, separately. Vitamin D3, vitamin K2, and magnesium demonstrated to support the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells by expressing Runx2, BMP2, and osteopontin and suppressing PPAR-γ and Sox9. Therefore, the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was activated by DKMF. DKMF promoted large axonal sprouting and needle-like elongation of osteoblast cells and enhanced cellular functions such as migration, infiltration, proliferation, and differentiation after seven days of incubation using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results showed that DKMF demonstrated sustained drug release for 144 h, tougher and stronger structure, higher tensile strength, increased water up-take capacity, decreased degradation ratio, and slightly lower Tm and Tg values compared to pure nanofibers. Consequently, DKMF is a promising treatment approach in bone tissue engineering due to its osteoinductive effects