الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
“α-Bisabolol-Loaded Cross-Linked Zein Nanofibrous 3D-Scaffolds For Accelerating Wound Healing And Tissue Regeneration In Rats”Objectives: Novel α-bisabolol (BIS)-loaded citric acid cross-linked zein nanofibrous scaffolds (C-ZNFs) were proposed to serve as safe platforms for promoting wound repair in rats.Methods: ZNFs were synthesized using electrospinning technique, then NFs, with adequate water resistance, were produced using citric acid as a safe cross-linker.
Results: Compared to the uncross-linked ZNFs, cross-linking with 7% w/w citric acid decreased swelling index by 3 folds, while the tensile strength and the contact angle were enhanced to 2.5 and 3.8 folds, respectively.
<SEM images showed beads-free homogeneous NFs with a fully inter-connected 3D-network, where the average diameter of optimized C-ZNFs was 181.7±50 nm. After 24 h, C-ZNFs exhibited a decreased BIS release rate (45.6%), compared to uncross-linked mats (84.9%).
By increasing BIS concentration, the cell adhesion (WI38 fibroblasts) was improved which can be attributed mainly to BIS activation of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β1).
The MTT-OD obtained values indicated that all tested zein scaffolds significantly enhanced the viability of WI38 fibroblasts, compared to the control after 48h of incubation which can be referred to the proliferative potential of zein by provoking cell spreading process.
The scratch wound assay demonstrated that BIS-loaded ZNF scaffolds showed accelerated migration and proliferation of fibroblasts expressed by significantly higher wound closure rates compared to the control sample. BIS-loaded-C-ZNFs prominently accelerated tissue regeneration for wound closure demonstrated by entirely grown epithelium with normal keratinization and rapid wound contraction, compared to the control. Immunohistochemical results confirmed the superiority of BIS-loaded-C-ZNFs, where the observed reduced NF-κB and the elevated cytokeratin expressions confirmed the anti-inflammatory and proliferative effects of the scaffolds, respectively.Conclusion: In-vitro, optimized C-ZNFs offered a satisfactory cytocompatibility, adhesion and healing which were consistent with the in-vivo results. BIS-loaded-C-ZNFs could be regarded as a promising and effective biomaterial for tissue regeneration and for accelerating the wound healing process.
Summary of the second publication entitled:
“Graphene oxide crosslinked-zein nanofibrous scaffolds for prominent Cu-adsorption as tissue regeneration promoters in diabetic rats: Nanofibers optimization and in vivo assessment”Diabetic ulcers are prone to bacterial contamination and can severely affect patient’s quality of life.
This study is first report to explore copper-grafted graphene oxide-crosslinked zein scaffolds (Cu-GZS) for promoting cutaneous excision wounds healing as a promising therapeutic modality in diabetic male-rats. Cu-GZS scaffolds were fabricated using electrospinning technique, where GO was employed as an echo-friendly crosslinker to meliorate mechanical stability and swellability of scaffolds.
To circumvent risk of infection, copper ions were grafted into GZS as bactericidal agents and angiogenesis promoters, through soaking GZS nanofibers into Cu-solution or direct loading during electrospinning process.
SEM images showed GO encapsulation by wrapping around/or trapping within nanofibrous. Interestingly, formation of chemical amide bond between zein and GO was proven by FTIR spectra.
Crosslinking of zein nanofibers with GO increased tensile strength of nanofibrous by 3-folds compared to uncrosslinked zein nanofibers.
<Optimized Cu-GZS exhibited constant release rate of copper over a period of 8 days (~53.42%). Cu-GZS immensely accelerated wound closure demonstrated by diminished infiltration of leukocytes, absence of α-SMA positive cells, presence of fully intact epithelium with normal keratinization and accelerated wound size reduction, compared to control. Cu-GZS scaffolds could serve as promising biomaterials for effective topical wound healing in diabetes.