Abstract Body:


Background: Myocardial decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) is a promising natural biomaterial known for its tissue-specific composition and biochemical cues that promote cellular regeneration. However, the extensive washing process for cell removal can compromise its mechanical integrity. To address this issue, synthetic polymers are employed to enhance mechanical properties. This study introduces an innovative coaxial electrospinning technique (CoES), where the bioactive dECM forms the sheath of the fibers and elastic polyurethane (PU) serves as the core, ultimately providing a supportive medium for cardiomyocytes (CMs) in tissue engineering applications.
Methods: Core-sheath nanofibers were fabricated using CoES, with PU as the elastic core and blends of polycaprolactone (PCL) and myocardial dECM as the sheath (PU-dECM/PCL). Control samples consisted of PU cores and PCL sheaths (PU-PCL).
Results: CoES effectively generated uniform, continuous nanofibers with distinct core-sheath regions. Fiber structure and morphology were confirmed through TEM and SEM analyses. ATR-FTIR and immunostaining techniques validated the presence of dECM on PU-dECM/PCL fibers. Hydrophilicity assessments indicated that fibers with dECM exhibited increased wettability. Mechanical tests revealed that PU-dECM/PCL fibers had a lower Young’s modulus than the monolith dECM/PCL fibers without the PU core. Enzymatic degradation studies showed that dECM-infused fibers degraded more rapidly than PU-PCL fibers. Cytotoxicity evaluations indicated that dECM improved cell viability and aggregation. IFF/ICC staining and gene expression studies confirmed that dECM supports the retention of cardiac markers, promoting iPSC-CM differentiation.
Conclusion: CoES nanofibers showed exceptional biocompatibility and mechanical properties, which can enhance CM survival and retention and provide avenues for innovative drug-eluting scaffolds. This technology promises improved therapeutic delivery to damaged cardiac tissue, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes and advancing cardiac medicine.