Effect of electron-beam irradiation on electrospinning produced scaffolds

The influence of electron beam irradiation on the stiffness, stability and biocompatibility of electrospun scaffolds, produced from Nylon 6, polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(DL-lactic-co-glicolic acid) (PLGA) was investigated. It was shown that irradiation of the matrices with an electron beam generated by the electron beam accelerator ILA-6 (2.2 MeV, 400 mA 10 Hz, “Radiochemical technologies Ltd”) can potentially be used for sterilization of the matrices (irradiation by a dose of 25 kGy does not interfere with the mechanical properties of all studied matrices). Irradiation of the matrices produced from PCL by a dose of 100 kGy increases the proportional limit of the material and allowed us to introduce durable regions into the vascular grafts by irradiating the graft through the template with open areas. Electron beam irradiation of the matrices does not interfere with the capacity of the matrices to support adhesion and viability of primary human endotheliocytes at the surfaces of these matrices, as it was shown using Alamar Blue assay.