Lysine-Mediated Yttrium Oxide Nanoparticle–Incorporated Nanofibrous Scaffolds with Tunable Cell Adhesion, Proliferation, and Antimicrobial Potency for In Vitro Wound-Healing Applications

The intricate healing mechanism of chronic wounds and their multitude of healing-related obstacles, such as infections, compromised cellular processes, and impediments to the healing process, pose a significant healthcare problem. Exploration of metal oxide nanoparticles, such as yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃) nanoparticles, can lead to innovative discoveries in the field of chronic wound healing by offering cues that promote cell proliferation in the scaffolds. To achieve this, Y₂O₃ nanoparticles were synthesized and incorporated within poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibrous scaffolds. Moreover, lysine was infused in the nanofibrous scaffolds to tune its cell adhesion and antimicrobial property. The structure and morphology of the synthesized nanofibers were confirmed through various physicochemical characterizations. Notably, all the fabricated scaffolds have remarkably tuned WVTR values within the range of 2000-2500 g/m²/day, favorable for removing the wound exudate, which facilitate the healing process. The scaffolds exhibited substantial antimicrobial property of approximately 68% and 72.2% against both <i>E. coli</i> and <i>S. aureus</i> at optimized Y₂O₃ loading. They further prevented the formation of biofilm by 68.6% for <i>S. aureus</i> and 51.2% for <i>P. aeruginosa</i>, suggesting the inhibition of recurrent wound infection. The scaffolds illustrated good blood biocompatibility, cytocompatibility, and cell adhesion capabilities. In vitro ROS inhibition study also corroborated the antioxidant property of the scaffold. Similarly, the wound scratching experiment showed high proliferative capability of a yttria-loaded PVA/lysine (S3) sample through the development of an extracellular matrix support. Molecular insight of wound healing was also validated through flow cytometry analysis and immunocytochemistry imaging studies. The findings revealed increased collagen I (Col-I) expression of approximately 19.48% in cultured fibrocytes. The findings are validated from immunocytochemistry imaging. In summary, the results furnish a captivating paradigm for the use of these scaffolds as a therapeutic biomaterial and to foster their potential efficacy toward wound care management.