Fabrication and Characterization of Vitamin E TPGS Loaded Silk Fibroin/Hyaluronic Acid Nanofibrous Scaffolds

Vitamin E d-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (VE TPGS) loaded silk fibroin (SF)/ hyaluronic acid (HA) nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated by means of electrospinning to biomimic the natural extracellular matrix. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) results indicated that electrospun VE TPGS loaded SF/HA nanofibers were ribbon-shaped, the width of nanofibers decreased slightly with the addition of VE TPGS to SF/HA blended solutions. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) curves revealed that VE TPGS did not induce SF conformation from random coil to β-sheet. SF conformation converted from random coil to β-sheet after being treated with 75% ethanol vapor. In vitro release studies confirmed VE TPGS had no obvious burst release and present good release behavior.