Mesoporous silica nanoparticles accommodating electrospun nanofibers as implantable local drug delivery system processed by cold atmospheric plasma and spin coating approaches.

Nanofibers (NF) and nanoparticles are attractive in the field of drug delivery especially to improve the drug bioavailability and administration. Easy manipulation of polymeric fibers as macroscopic bulk material may give rise to potential uses as implantable local drug delivery platforms. In this study, poly(ethylene glycol) polyethyleneimine (mPEG: PEI) copolymer blended poly ε-caprolactone (PCL) nanofibers, NFblend accommodating mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) as the implantable local drug delivery system was achieved by employing spin coating and cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) post-processing. The morphology and wettability, mechanical properties, and in vitro cytocompatibility features of NFblend ensured its features as a potential implantable local drug delivery system. The electron microscopy images affirmed the macropores on NFblend are still accessible and claimed the random nanofiber alignment of the NFblend after MSN accommodation may promote cell attachments. Furthermore, the drug release profile from the NFblend and in vitro cytocompatibility and scaffolding features for cell attachment were determined. The sustained drug release profile for 48h was provided regardless of MSN impairment from mat and bulk degradation. The accumulation of curcumin loaded MSN (MSN@Cur) onto NFblend by CAP-assisted spin coating promote cell proliferation compared to its non-treated counterparts. All in all, the obtained NFblend-MSN@Cur nanofiber mats have a high potential to be employed as an implantable local drug delivery system.