(781e) Electrospun Recombinant Spider Silk Proteins for Tissue Engineering Scaffolds

As a potential
next-generation biomaterial, spider silk's durability, elasticity and
biocompatibility make it suitable for a wide range of medical applications. In
this study, we developed tissue engineering scaffolds
from recombinant spider silk proteins derived from the dragline silk of Nephilia clavipes, a golden orb weaving spider.  This silk is composed of two proteins,
the major ampullate spidroin proteins (MaSp) #1 and #2.  In our studies, thin recombinant MaSp2
protein films were first studied to determine surface properties and
cell-material interactions. 
Synthetically spun fiber mats were then developed using an
electrospinning process in which MaSp2 was dissolved in
1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP). 
The mechanical properties of the electrospun mats were characterized with
varying process adjustments, including spin dope concentration. Biological
studies included the incorporation of antibiotics into the fiber scaffolds to
inhibit bacterial growth.  Unmodified
fiber mats demonstrated little cell attachment and the inhibition of cell
growth, so in order to improve mammalian cell attachment and growth on the
fibers, the material was modified covalently with the cell binding peptide,
RGDS.  The modified scaffolds
demonstrated cell growth to confluence of both NIH-3T3 fibroblasts as well as
human skin fibroblasts.