Fabrication and characterization of methylprednisolone-loaded polylactic acid/hyaluronic acid nanofibrous scaffold for soft tissue engineering

Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that tissue engineering scaffolds, including Schwann cells, may improve axonal regeneration, particularly in combination with Methylprednisolone as an influential neuroprotective factor. The primary aim of this study was to design composite electrospun scaffolds based on polylactic acid (PLA)/hyaluronic acid (HA) containing various percentages (0.05–2% (w/v)) of Methylprednisolone (MP) with suitable mechanical and chemical properties for soft tissue especially to promote nerve growth. For the first time, MP was implicated in a PLA/HA nanofibrous and its effect on fiber’s properties was scrutinized as a candidate for nerve tissue engineering. In addition, morphology, chemical bonding, wettability, and degradation of the scaffolds were examined to evaluate their performance. The results showed the PLA/HA scaffolds had suitable morphological, physicochemical, and mechanical properties for nerve regeneration. Also, various percentages of MP were evaluated through physiochemical assay, drug release profile, and biological assays to find an optimum level of drug. These scaffolds may improve the growth and viability of Schwann cells. Results showed that composite scaffolds containing 0.5 w/v MP had lower cytotoxicity and higher biocompatibility.