Biomimetic scaffold containing PVDF nanofibers with sustained TGF-β release in combination with AT-MSCs for bladder tissue engineering

Since the functional recovery of the reconstructed bladder is related to the bladder wall contraction and existing therapies do not respond to this, tissue engineering could be worth considered promising candidates for developing of conventional treatments in these kinds of ailments. Due to the low mechanical properties of natural scaffolds, biocompatible synthetic scaffolds can play a key role in the stem cells proliferation and differentiation and apply for many tissue-engineering applications. On the other hand, considering the low shelf life of TGFβ, encapsulating this growth factor can help maintain its functionality throughout the study period. In this study, poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated through electrospinning method with or without chitosan nanoparticles loaded TGFβ. All scaffolds characterized morphologically by using SEM, TGFβ release profiling as well as biocompatibility by using SEM and MTT assays. Adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs) was isolated and characterized immediately and the differentiation of SMC was investigated when cultured on the surface of the scaffolds and tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) as a control of gene and protein expression levels. Fabricated scaffold possess smooth structure with nanoscale size and long time releasing of sustained profiles. MTT, qRT-PCR and immunocytochemistry results demonstrated that AT-MSCs proliferation rate and SMC differentiation potential were significantly increased when cultured on the PVDF-TGFβ scaffold in comparison with PVDF and TCPS. According to the results, PVDF-TGFβ as a bio-functional scaffold can provide greater treatment possibilities in bladder tissue engineering applications.