Soybean-derived phospholipids complexed poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanofibrous scaffolds for tissue engineering applications

Polymeric scaffolds play a vital role in tissue engineering. Electrospun poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) membranes can be a promising scaffold. However, their applications are restricted due to poor hydrophilicity and single function. In this study, we show for the first time how blending of L-α-phosphatidylcholine (PC) to PLGA to yield hybrid scaffolds alters the physical properties and wettability and consequently affects the biodegradability and biocompatibility. Soybean-derived phospholipids complexed PLGA nanofibrous scaffolds (PLGA-PC) were readily fabricated by electrospinning polymer solutions of PLGA and PC in different ratios. The obtained scaffolds exhibited a dramatic decrease in fibre diameter and a significant increase in porosity and hydrophilicity as the PC component was added. Although the mechanical strength of PLGA scaffolds decreased due to the incorporation of PC, the PLGA-PC groups showed tensile strength above 2.5 MPa in both dry and wet states. Based on in vitro degradation, we found that it was accelerating for PLGA-PC scaffolds with PC content increased. Additionally, these scaffolds presented superior blood compatibility and cytocompatibility. The explored research on phospholipids complexed scaffolds can readily extend to other polymers and provides a feasible strategy to construct optimal microenvironments for seeded cells, indicating promising use in various tissue engineering.