Immunomodulated electrospun fibrous scaffolds via bFGF camouflage for pelvic regeneration

Abstract Wound healing requires an anti-inflammatory microenvironment and a healing cascade reaction, while transition from the inflammatory to the proliferative phase is necessary for the regeneration process. However, the use of biomimetic materials may induce local chronic inflammation, which could lead to serious infection and adhesion, when their ability to modulate inflammatory conditions has not been evaluated. To accelerate the wound-healing process, we envisioned a scaffold that can better regulate the immune response while reducing the inflammatory response. In the present study, in addition to the unique mechanical properties and higher rates of selective protein adsorption, electrospun fibers provided an anti-inflammatory microenvironment and closely resembled features of natural extracellular matrix, which could regulate immune-cell migration by its molecular component, providing greater regeneration potential in wound healing. Moreover, we grafted basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the surface of poly- l -lactic acid (PLLA) to improve the hydrophilicity, ensuring the strength and biocompatibility of the material, which could affect the immune cytokines and inhibit the inflammatory reaction through a constant bFGF release. Furthermore, the pattern of cell–material interaction exhibited by PLLA-bFGF promoted human vaginal fibroblast proliferation, improved the expression of collagen genes and secretion of the proteins, including COL-1/3, and regulated the expression of immune-related cytokines, including transforming growth factor β1 and tumor necrosis factor-α. The rabbit abdominal wall hernia in vivo model revealed the same effects. Overall, the PLLA-bFGF scaffold may promote pelvic organ prolapsed (POP) regeneration through its properties of providing an anti-inflammatory microenvironment and regulating the activities of immune-regulative factors, and may thus be highly practical as a template for transvaginal repair in POP treatment.