Enhanced contrast imaging with polyamide 6/Fe(OH)3 nanofibrous scaffolds: A focus on high T1 relaxivity
Congyi Yang,
Yifan Jia,
Weiwen Yuan,
Guoxing Liao,
Qianqian Yu,
Zhe Tang,
Yuan Ji,
Guanghui Liu,
Fangrong Tan,
Paul D. Topham,
LinGe Wang
Affiliations
Congyi Yang
South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Energy & Information Polymer Materials, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
Yifan Jia
South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Energy & Information Polymer Materials, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
Weiwen Yuan
Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou 510317, China
Guoxing Liao
South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Energy & Information Polymer Materials, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
Qianqian Yu
South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Energy & Information Polymer Materials, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China; Corresponding authors.
Zhe Tang
South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Energy & Information Polymer Materials, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
Yuan Ji
South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Energy & Information Polymer Materials, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
Guanghui Liu
South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Energy & Information Polymer Materials, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
Fangrong Tan
South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Energy & Information Polymer Materials, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
Paul D. Topham
Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, School of Infrastructure and Sustainable Engineering, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, United Kingdom; Corresponding authors.
LinGe Wang
South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional and Intelligent Hybrid Materials and Devices, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Energy & Information Polymer Materials, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China; Corresponding authors.
Nanofibers serve as widely employed tissue engineering scaffolds in diverse biomedical applications. When implanted in vivo, it is crucial for tissue engineering scaffolds to be visualizable, enabling the monitoring of their shape, position, and performance. This capability facilitates the effective assessment of implant deformations, displacements, degradations, and functionalities. However, in many biomedical imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the contrast of tissue engineering scaffolds is often inadequate. MRI is particularly notable for its effectiveness in imaging soft tissues. Previous endeavors to enhance the contrast of tissue engineering scaffolds in MRI have involved the use of negative contrast agents (CAs). Nonetheless, negative CAs can result in artifacts, thus favoring the preference for positive CAs due to their ability to generate clearer boundaries. In this study, we successfully prepared composite polyamide 6 nanofibrous scaffolds with ultrafine dispersion Fe(OH)3 nanoparticles using electrospinning and in-situ growth techniques. The relaxation properties of the magnetic nanofibrous scaffolds confirmed the successful production of scaffolds suitable for positive imaging. In vitro cell seeding experiments demonstrated the efficient proliferation and adhesion of endothelial cells and fibroblasts. In vivo studies further revealed the biocompatibility and functionality of the scaffolds. These findings indicate that the prepared PA6/Fe(OH)3 composite nanofibrous scaffolds can enable straightforward, safe, and efficient in vivo positive contrast MRI monitoring, thereby playing a pivotal role in the integration of diagnosis and treatment within tissue engineering scaffolds.
