Fabrication and Biological Assessment of CNC/B-Glucan Nanocomposite Hydrogels for tissue engineering

Nowadays, the use of hydrogel scaffolds in tissue engineering and wound healing has gained significant importance. In this study, nanocomposite hydrogels based on cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and B-glucan were prepared via the photopolymerization of acrylic acid in the presence of a crosslinking agent. Initially, CNC was extracted from hardwood sources, and ß-glucan was obtained from oat flour. Then, four groups of scaffolds (S۱-S۴) were fabricated using different compositions. The structural and chemical characteristics of these scaffolds were evaluated through various tests, including Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), swelling behavior, contact angle measurements. For assessing biological performance, five groups of male Wistar rats (weighing ۲۵۰-۳۰۰ g) were selected. The control group remained untreated, while the four experimental groups were dressed with CNC and CNC-B-glucan hydrogel scaffolds at different ratios. Wound healing and tissue responses were monitored and recorded during the study period. Results showed that the addition of ẞ-glucan led to the formation of a more porous, uniform, and stable network. ẞ-glucan-enriched hydrogels, especially S۳ and S۴, exhibited reduced crystallinity and increased amorphousness. All samples demonstrated hydrophilic properties; however, the contact angle was higher in ẞ-glucan-containing samples, indicating a slight reduction in surface hydrophilicity. Additionally, the initial swelling behavior in these samples was more pronounced, indicating a higher capacity for wound fluid absorption. In animal tests, scaffolds containing B-glucan promoted faster and more orderly tissue repair. Overall, the results of this study suggest that combining CNC with B-glucan can produce scaffolds with desirable mechanical, biological, and regenerative properties. These characteristics make the synthesized hydrogels a promising option for wound healing and tissue engineering applications.

کلیدواژه ها:

Hydrogel ، Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) ، B-glucan ، Tissue engineering scaffold ، Wound healing ، Photopolymerization ، Nanocomposite hydrogel ، Porous biomaterial