Production and characterization of PLA/PCL/CoO cardiac patches

Patients carry the life threatening risk due to damaged heart muscles after heart attack. For this reason, therapies intended to heal damaged heart tissues come into prominence. Various surgeries and/or medications conducted for recovery of the functionality of the deteriorated myocardia. However, cardiac patches made of synthetic or biopolymers are used with the aim of supporting the functionality and/or therapy of the damaged heart tissues. In this study, biodegradable, biocompatible, elastic, conductive patches were produced by electrospinning technique. Recently, porous and fibrous structure produced by this technique is widely in tissue engineering applications because of its ability to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) and high mechanical strength. Cardiac patches were produced by concurrent and reciprocal electrospinning of Polylactide (PLA) and Polycaprolactone (PCL) solutions. Cobalt oxide (CoO) nanoparticles were included in the membrane structure by addition into polymer solutions in order to provide electrical conductivity. Density and the porosity of the cardiac patches were calculated and membrane morphology was investigated with SEM images. Chemical structure analysis was conducted by taking the FTIR spectra of polymers and the cardiac patches separately. Mechanical strength of membranes have been characterized by standard tensile test. Swelling tests of membranes were performed under appropriate conditions. Mass loss in time and release of CoO from cardiac patches were evaluated under in vitro conditions for 3 months period. Conductivities of the patches were measured by four point probe method. Possible cytotoxic effect on human cardiomyocyte cells (HCM) was evaluated by MTT test and apoptotic/necrotic effect was evaluated by double staining. Besides, cell interactions with the surface of the cardiac patches were investigated using SEM images. As a result of characterization studies it has been concluded that PLA/PCL/CoO cardiac patches have the potential to be used in in-vivo biomedical applications.