Incorporation, release and functioning of theranostics from multifunctional tissue engineering scaffolds

Abstract

Cancer patients can have specific needs for medical treatments.After surgery, new tissues need to be formed at the original tumor site to recover body functions. Human tissue regeneration can be greatly enhanced by using cell-laden nanofibrous tissue engineering scaffolds encapsulated with growth factors. Also, embedding theranostics in scaffolds and controlling their release will enable the detection and treatment of recurring cancer for post-operative patients. We have developed novel technologies to fabricate such advanced scaffolds. This lecture presents our designs and investigations of Au-based theranostics-embedded, rGSMC-laden and bFGF-incorporated multifunctional scaffolds. The theranostics are contained in polymer microspheres and deposited in nanofibrous scaffolds randomly during scaffold fabrication. Systematic investigations show that theranostics can be gradually released in scaffolds due to microsphere biodegradation and they accumulate at cancer cells via active targeting. Cellular uptake of theranostics occurs through FR-mediated endocytosis. In vitro biological experiments demonstrate successful cancer cell detection and imaging and photothermal therapy. In the meantime, with these scaffolds, enhanced rGSMC proliferation and migration for tissue regeneration are observed. All these results show the great potential of novel scaffolds for cancer patients.