The Effect of Bulk Electrospun Polycaprolactone-graphene Oxide Scaffold on the Healing of Defected Femur Cartilage on a Rabbit Model

In this study, bulk and non-bulk electrospun scaffolds from polycaprolactone (PCL) containing graphene oxide (GO) were fabricated. Graphene oxide with 0.3, 0.5, and 1 wt% was added to different concentrations of PCL solutions under sonication. The blends were electrospun under varied conditions of 10–20 kV applied voltages, a distance of 10 to 20 cm, and a 0.5 ml/hr flow rate. The web of PCL(10 %)-GO(0.5 %) was selected as an optimum one via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, which exhibited uniform morphology with a 257±18 nm average diameter. The fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results showed that the specified peaks of both PCL and GO in the blends. Mechanical investigation exhibited higher strength of the PCL-GO web (about 4.3 MPa) compare to the PCL web. The porosity of the webs was measured by densitometry, which showed an increase in porosity from 80 % to 92 % after the bulking process (ultra-sonication, followed by freeze-drying). The MTT assay was employed using human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) on the scaffolds. Results indicated that the cell viability of bulk and non-bulk PCL-GO scaffolds were about 98 % and 99.8 %, respectively. In vivo study was carried out on defected cartilage knees of fourteen New Zealand rabbits. For monitoring the cartilage repair, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as well as pathological investigations were performed after surgery. The results of MRI and H&E staining showed high qualified healing of defects, which were exposed to bulk nanofibrous scaffold. Therefore, bulk PCL-GO electrospun scaffolds can be introduced as a suitable scaffolds for cartilage regeneration.