Iron (Fe) doped-mesoporous bioactive glasses are among the most promising candidates in cancer therapy; the present study reports the successful fabrication and characterization of a series of anticancer and pro-regenerative nanocomposites of polycaprolactone and gelatin nanofibers combined with Fe-doped mesoporous bioactive glasses. The anticancer potential and regenerative capacity of the prepared nanocomposite were studied on melanoma (A375 cell line) and normal fibroblast cells (L929 cell line) by using the MTT assay, annexin V/PI apoptosis assay, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, malondialdehyde assay, as well as adhesion and migration assessments. The characterization of the nanofibers containing 20 % (wt.%) glass particles revealed a suitable tensile strength (5.8 MPa), controlled swelling (355.5 % after 24 hours), and degradability (31.33 % after 28 days). The viability of A375 cells was significantly reduced (up to 77 %) after treatment with the 20 % glass-impregnated nanofibers along with 58 % and 8 % increase in their apoptosis and necrosis, respectively. Interestingly, this nanocomposite showed no significant adverse effects on normal fibroblasts. In conclusion, this study suggests the possibility of the bioactive glass nanoparticles/electrospun nanofiber composites in the treatment of cancers (e.g., melanoma) as well as in providing a suitable microenvironment for tissue repair and regeneration. However, performing in vivo studies is required to provide clear evidence of the anticancer potential of this nanocomposite system.

Keywords