SYNOPSIS
To make the tissue under concept of tissue engineering, it is necessary to cultivate cells in proper scaffolds. Silk fibers are useful materials for range of biomedical applications as well as scaffolds for tissue engineering. The final goal of our project is to use natural Thai silk fibers as a novel scaffold for tissue replacement and/or regeneration. Objectives: The aims of this study are to fabricate electrospun Thai silk fibroin nanofibers and test for their cytotoxic effect on human gingival fibroblast cells. Methods: Protein fibroin from Thai Bombyx mori cocoons was extracted by Na₂CO₃, CaCl₂/C₂H₅OH/H₂O solution and was then dialyzed in deionized water at 4^oC for 72 hrs. Subsequently, the dialyzed product was lyophilized to yield a sponge. After dissolved fibroin sponge in formic acid, the fibroin nanofibers were obtained by electrospinning under 15 KVp, 17 mA at loading rate 0.5 ml/hr. The electrospun fibroin nanofibers were studied for their ultrastructures as well as cytotoxicity by microscopy and cell culture system. Results: Based on this protocol, the fibroin nanofibers demonstrated grayish-white highly order fibers. The results from the co-culture of fibroin nanofibers with human gingival fibroblasts demonstrated that cells could proliferate and attach to the nanofibers suggested non-toxic property of the fibers. In conclusion, we successfully fabricated the Thai silk fibroin nanofibers which were not toxic to human gingival fibroblasts in vitro. After optimum physical property adjustment and extensive examination in vivo, the Thai silk fibroin nanofibers might be able to use as natural, non-toxic and promising scaffolds for tissue engineering.

Key words: Electrospinning, Nanofiber, Scaffold, Thai Silk, Tissue engineering