In vitro evaluation of bioactive PCL/alginate fibers with controlled liposomal silymarin release for mesenchymal stem cell transplantation

Oct 14, 2025Scientific reports

Lab testing of active PCL/alginate fibers that slowly release silymarin for stem cell transplantation

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Regenerative Health on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Abstract

The Lip-Sil formulation exhibited a particle size of 94.7 nm and an encapsulation efficiency of 73%.

Liposomal silymarin (Lip-Sil) was developed to enhance the delivery and functionality of adipose-derived (AMSCs).
PCL/Alg hierarchical fibers displayed a significant reduction in diameter, measuring 157.7 ± 42.8 nm compared to pure PCL fibers.
The addition of alginate improved the hydrophilicity of PCL/Alg scaffolds, with a water contact angle of 31.8 ± 4.1° versus 126.9 ± 9.6° for PCL.
AMSCs cultured on the PCL/Alg/Lip-Sil scaffolds showed a statistically significant increase in cell proliferation after 7 days of incubation.
DAPI staining indicated a mean cell adhesion index of 1.6 ± 0.1 for the composite scaffold, suggesting enhanced cell attachment.

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The clinical application of (MSCs) in tissue engineering is hindered by critical challenges, including low cell survival rates, poor retention at injury sites, and the lack of bioactive scaffolds that mimic the native tissue microenvironment. To address these limitations, this study developed a multifunctional platform using liposomal silymarin (Lip-Sil)-enriched polycaprolactone/alginate (PCL/Alg) hierarchical fibers to enhance the delivery, adhesion, and functionality of adipose-derived MSCs (AMSCs) for tissue regeneration. Lip-Sil was synthesized using the remote loading method and characterized for particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, and dissolution behavior. PCL/Alg hierarchical fibers were fabricated via electrospinning and evaluated for mechanical properties, morphology, hydrophilicity, degradation rate,, and surface chemistry using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. The biological performance of the scaffolds was assessed through in vitro studies, including cell viability, adhesion, and proliferation of AMSCs using MTT assay, DAPI staining, and FE-SEM imaging. The Lip-Sil formulation exhibited a particle size of 94.7 nm, a zeta potential of -29 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency of 73%. The cumulative dissolution profile showed a sustained release, reaching 65% after 2 weeks. The PCL/Alg fibers demonstrated a significant reduction in diameter (157.7 ± 42.8 nm) compared to pure PCL fibers (323.3 ± 122.8 nm). Mechanical testing revealed that the PCL and PCL/Alg scaffolds had a tensile strength of 10 ± 1.3 and 2.7 ± 0.17 MPa and a strain at break of 67.4 ± 2.41% and 55.1 ± 2.9%, respectively. The addition of alginate improved hydrophilicity (water contact angle: 31.8 ± 4.1° vs. 126.9 ± 9.6° for PCL) and degradation rate. The water uptake rate of PCL/Alg scaffolds reached 80.7 ± 5.3% within 18 h, significantly higher than that of PCL scaffolds (18.6 ± 0.88%) and these ratios for both samples remained constant until 28 h. AMSCs cultured on PCL/Alg/Lip-Sil scaffolds showed an excellent increase in cell proliferation compared to control groups (p < 0.01) after 7 days of incubation. DAPI staining revealed a mean cell adhesion index of 1.6 ± 0.1 for the composite scaffold. FE-SEM imaging confirmed enhanced cell spreading and expansion on the composite scaffolds. The developed PCL/Alg/Lip-Sil scaffold represents a promising platform for tissue engineering, offering controlled drug release, improved cell adhesion, and enhanced AMSC proliferation. This multifunctional system addresses key challenges in stem cell delivery and tissue regeneration, providing a robust foundation for future clinical applications.

Key numbers

1.6 ± 0.1

Mean Cell Adhesion Index

For / scaffolds compared to control group.

65%

Cumulative Drug Release

After 2 weeks from the formulation.

p < 0.01

Cell Proliferation Increase

AMSCs on / scaffolds compared to control groups after 7 days.

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In vitro evaluation of bioactive PCL/alginate fibers with controlled liposomal silymarin release for mesenchymal stem cell transplantation

Abstract

Key numbers

Full Text

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