Poly Lactic-Co-Glycolic Acid Carbon Nanofiber Composite for Enhancing Cardiomyocyte Function
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Poly Lactic-Co-Glycolic Acid Carbon Nanofiber Composite for Enhancing Cardiomyocyte Function David A. Stout1, Jennie Yoo2, and Thomas J. Webster1,3 1
School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, U.S.A.
2
Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, RI. 02912, U.S.A.
3
Department of Orthopedics, Brown University, RI. 02912, U.S.A.
ABSTRACT The objective of the present in vitro research was to determine cardiomyocyte function on poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (50:50 (PLA:PGA); PLGA) with greater amounts of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and variations in CNF size, for myocardial tissue engineering applications. The addition of CNFs would increase conductivity and strength of pure PLGA. For this reason, different PLGA: CNF ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 0:100 wt.%) were created and conductivity and cytocompatibility properties with human cardiomyocytes were determined. Results showed that PLGA:CNF materials were conductive and that conductivity increased with greater amounts of PLGA added, from 0 S.m-1 for 100:0 wt.% (pure PLGA) to 5.5x10-3 S.m-1 for 0:100 wt.% (pure CNFs) material. Furthermore, results indicated that cardiomyocyte density increased with greater amounts of CNFs of 200nm in diameter in PLGA (up to 25:75 wt.% , PLGA:CNFs). This study, thus, provided an alternative conductive scaffold using nanotechnology which should be further explored for cardiovascular applications. INTRODUCTION A myocardial infarction, also known as a heart attack, usually occurs because a major blood vessel supplying the heart’s left ventricle is suddenly completely blocked by an obstruction, such as a blood clot [1-3]. Part of the cardiac muscle, or myocardium, is deprived of blood and therefore oxygen, which destroys contractile muscle cells (called cardiomyocytes) and leaves dead tissue [1, 2]. Scarred cardiac muscle results in heart failure for millions of heart attack survivors worldwide. In 2009, an estimated 785, 000 Americans will have a new coronary attack and about 470, 000 will have a recurrent heart attack leading to a coronary event [4]. In recent years, various techniques have been developed to promote cardiomyocyte cell growth around dead tissue after a myocardial infarction. Such techniques include ex vivo culture of cardiomyocytes on cardiac patches for eventual implantation; direct cell injection; scaffolding made from collagen, PLLA, and PCL; 3D printing using thermal inkjet printing technology; and injectable scaffolds using materials ranging from fibrin to CNFs. However, one area that has been largely omitted to date is the exploration of nanotechnology (or materials with one dimension less than 100nm) in cardiovascular applications. This might be due to concerns over the consequences of carbon nanotubes entering the human body which remains to be tested. The object of this study was to use nanotechnology to fabricate and evaluate a novel conductive-biodegradable material cytocompatibile with cardiomyocytes. A model polymer matrix, poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA), which has been u
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