Investigation of a DNA delivery scaffold via electrospinning of polymer composite nanofibers and prospect for their use as a wound-dressing

摘要

The aim of this thesis is to experimentally prepare polycaprolactone (PLC) fibers via electrospinning and to modify them with a layers double hydroxide (LDH)/DNA hybrid. The potential for the use of fibermats as a scaffold for human cell growth and its prospect as a wound-dressing will be examined theoretically. Electrospinning was used to prepare fibers from a 9wt% PCL solution which resulted in a fibermat with randomly orientated fibers with a variety of diameters. This random structure seems to be mimicking the structure of the extracellular matrix in a way that should allow human cells to adhere and spread on the fibers; this potential was investigated by a literature search. Furthermore, experiments were made with making electrospun composite fibers, where LDH clay was successfully blended with the PCL solution and electrospun. LDH clays can act as a carrier of anionic molecules, and this was tested by preparing a plasmid containing coding for green florescent protein (GFP), which was added to LDH clay via an ion-exchange process. The idea behind these experiments is that an electrospun fibermat containing a LDH/DNA hybrid can function as a matrix for cell growth, where the LDH/DNA will be able to enter living human cells and deliver the DNA. Even though it was not possible to produce a prober LDH/DNA hybrid, it is very likely that it will be possible by using a different LDH or another method. The prospects to use an electrospun PCL fibermat for biomedical applications are great and there are many possibilities to modify the fibers in order to obtain specific properties.