Electrospun fibers: an innovative delivery method for the treatment of bone diseases

ABSTRACT

Introduction

The treatment performances of current surgical therapeutic materials for injuries caused by high-energy trauma, such as prolonged bone defects, nerve-fiber disruptions, and repeated spasms or adhesions of vascular tendons after repair, are poor. Drug-loaded electrospun fibers have become a novel polymeric material for treating orthopedic diseases owing to their three-dimensional structures, thus providing excellent controlled drug-release responses and high affinity with local tissues. Herein, we reviewed the morphology of electrospun nanofibers, methods for loading drugs on the fibers, and modification methods to improve drug permeability and bioavailability. We highlight innovative applications of drug-loaded electrospun fibers in different treatments, including bone and cartilage defects, tendon and soft-tissue adhesion, vascular remodeling, skin grafting, and nervous-system injuries.

Areas covered

With the rapid development of electrospinning technologies and advancement of tissue engineering, drug-loaded electrospun fibers are becoming increasingly important in controlled drug release, wound closure, and tissue regeneration and repair.

Expert opinion

Drug-loaded electrospun fibers exhibit a broad range of application prospects and great potential in treating orthopedic diseases. Accordingly, a plethora of novel treatments utilizing the different morphological features of electrospun fibers, the distinctive pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics characteristics of different drugs, and the diverse onset characteristics of different diseases, is proposed.

KEYWORDS:

• Electrospinning technology
• nanofiber morphology
• drug delivery
• orthopedic diseases
• innovative applications

Article highlights

• Several orthopedic diseases are often caused by high-energy trauma. These diseases often lead to catastrophic consequences owing to the lack of effective treatments.

• Electrospun fibers can provide a contact area for cells with excellent biological histocompatibility. Mixing drugs with electrospun fibers can improve their solubility and bioavailability. These features allow electrospun fibers to be used for healing orthopedic diseases.

• The therapeutic applications of drug-loaded electrospun fibers in repairing bone and cartilage defects, treating tendons, and soft tissue adhesion, vascular remodeling, skin grafting, and healing nervous system injuries provide us with new treatment concepts.

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants, or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31700854), the Key Program of Anhui Educational Committee (KJ2018A1011 and KJ2019A0392), the Scientific Research Foundation of Bengbu Medical College (BYKY1848ZD, BYKY17118, and BYKY18108), the Translational Medicine Key Projects of Bengbu Medical College (BYTM2019006 and BYTM2019012), and the Scientific Research Innovation Team of Bengbu Medical College (BYKC201910).