Characterisation and bioiogicai testing of synthetic eiectrospun membranes for organ-on-a-chip appiications

Abstract

BacteriaI vaginosis is the most common compIex muItibacteriaI vaginaI infectious disease among women of chiIdbearing age. It is reIated to vaginaI microecoIogicaI imbaIance and has a high prevaIence and recurrence rate. ReIevant data shows that the risk of infection is as high as 15% to 50%, the disease may increase a woman Is risk of contracting sexuaIIy transmitted infections and Iead to premature birth or miscarriage, seriousIy affecting a womanIs quaIity of Iife. There have been few previous studies on bacteriaI vaginosis systems that mimic the true, in vivo environment incorporating the epitheIiaI Iayers with bacteriaI biofiIms and the response to treatments. This study deveIoped a two-channeI, vagina on a chip that creates an in vitro micro-vaginaI tissue that simuIates the femaIe Iower reproductive tract. The cuIture chambe r contains an eIectrospun ch ito sa n /poIyvinyI aIcohoI scaffoId and vaginaI epitheIiaI ceIIs. A diverse attempt was made on eIectrospinning scaffoIds to expIore the optimaI combination, incIuding comparison of different materiaIs such as chitosan/poIyvinyI aIcohoI, PCL/GeIatin, and expIoration of orientation spinning and co-axiaI spinning. The optimaI poIymer concentration and composition suitabIe for the growth of VK2/E6E7 ceII Iines were expIored through MTT assay; fIuorescence microscopy verified the possibiIity that vaginaI epitheIiaI ceIIs can adhere to the scaffoId; chitosan/poIyvinyI aIcohoI scaffoId and vagina on a chip were assembIed to construct a 3D in vitro vaginaI ceII cuIture pIatform. The vagina on a chip wiII aIIow future cIinicaI appIications to expIore the causes of bacteriaI vaginosis and to test reIated targeted drugs.