Antioxidant alpha-Mangostin Coated Woven Polycaprolactone Nanofibrous Yarn Scaffold for Cardiac Tissue Repair

Electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds are one of the most extensively used proven candidates for scaffold-based tissue engineering applications due to their excellent nanoscale architecture and tailorable nature. Despite the advantages of electrospun scaffolds, drawbacks such as low mechanical strength and densely packed nanofibers lead to decreased cell infiltration, preventing diffusion of nutrients and gases. To overcome these shortfalls, nanofiber yarns formed by directly twisting thousands of electrospun nanofibers are considered as building blocks for scaffold fabrication with an appropriate mechanical strength and porosity to enhance cell infiltration. The study illustrates a unique and feasible method to synthesize electrospun nanofiber yarns by using modified collector electrospinning and the yarns were weaved to form a fabric-like scaffold. alpha-Mangostin, a plant-based bioactive compound with cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties was incorporated into the woven scaffold to evaluate its efficacy as a cardiac patch. Results showed that modification in the scaffold architecture from spun nanofibers to nanofiber yarns led to increase in hydrophilicityleading to enhanced protein adsorption, degradation, cell proliferation, spreading, and infiltration. Here, we report the fabrication of a 3D woven polymer nanofibrous yarn scaffold coated with alpha-mangostin for cardiac patch applications. Results from the study showed that the scaffold favored stem cell proliferation and supported the functionality of cardiac cells. These fabricated 3D woven scaffolds showed improved angiogenesis and increased tissue compatibility in vivo, showing prospects for the use of a woven scaffold as an ideal template for cardiac tissue engineering applications.