Electrospun silk fibroin mat enhances tendon-bone healing in a rabbit extra-articular model.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether electrospun silk fibroin (SF) mat wrapping could enhance tendon-bone healing of soft tissue graft.

RESULTS

Rabbit bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells proliferated well on electrospun SF mat. The autologous Achilles tendon wrapped with electrospun SF mat was transplanted into the bone tunnel (experimental group) in a rabbit extra-articular model, while the unwrapped tendon was transplanted as control group. The electrospun SF mat wrapping could enhance tendon-bone healing of autologous tendon evaluated by micro-computed tomography scanning, histological examination and mechanical testing. At 6 and 12 weeks post-operatively, the failure loads of experimental group were both significantly higher than those of control group (40.5 ± 6.3 vs. 31.8 ± 4.6 N, P = 0.039 at 6 weeks; 67.1 ± 9. vs. 52.2 ± 4.7 N, P = 0.012 at 12 weeks).

CONCLUSION

The electrospun SF mat wrapping could enhance tendon-bone healing of soft tissue graft.