Co-delivery of sustainable anti-microbial agents and platelet-derived growth factor via biodegradable nanofibers for repair of diabetic infectious wounds

More than half of diabetic wounds demonstrate clinical signs of infection at presentation and lead to poor outcomes. This work develops coaxial sheath-core nanofibrous poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) scaffolds that are loaded with bioactive antibiotics and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) for the repair of diabetic infectious wounds. PDGF and PLGA/antibiotic solutions were pumped, respectively, into two independent capillary tubings for coaxial electrospinning to prepare biodegradable sheath-core nanofibers. Spun nanofibrous scaffolds sustainably released PDGF, vancomycin, and gentamicin for 3 weeks. The scaffolds also reduced the phosphatase and tensin homologue content, enhanced the amount of angiogenesis marker (CD31) around the wound area, and accelerated healing in the early stage of infected diabetic wound repair. Antibiotic/biomolecule-loaded PLGA nanofibers may provide a very effective way to aid tissue regeneration at the sites of infected diabetic wounds.