Development and characterization of gold nanoparticle-collagen scaffold

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Collagen is considered a versatile biological material for soft tissue application, owing to its excellent biocompatibility. However in its purified state, collagen is mechanically weak and undergoes rapid degradation. To mitigate these effects, collagen can be cross-linked. While enhanced mechanical properties and stability can be achieved by crosslinking, collagen can be rendered less biocompatible due to changes in the overall microstructure and/or the cytotoxicity of the cross linkers. In this study, we investigated if gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) conjugated Type I porcine collagen to enhanced stability while maintaining the natural microstructure of collagen. The scaffold was characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for heat of fusion and denaturation temperature of AuNP-collagen scaffold. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were utilized to determine the microstructure and chemical properties of the scaffold. Neutron activation analysis (NAA) was performed to evaluate the AuNPs crosslinking efficiency and reproducibility of the scaffold. Low concentration peractic acid short-time washing was proved to be an effective sterilization technique without damaging any chemical and mechanical properties of the scaffold. In vitro biocompatibility study was assessed using WST-1 and picogreen dsDNA assays. In vivo biocompatibility was evaluated using Sprague-Dawley rats and White New Zealand rabbits models. Histology study was conducted to obtain irritation scores.