The Effects of Nanofiber Topography on Astrocyte Behavior and Gene Silencing Efficiency

Astrocyte‐nanofiber interactions are studied by culturing primary rat cortical astrocytes on poly[caprolactone‐co‐(ethyl ethylene phosphate)] electrospun nanofibers and solvent‐cast films (two‐dimensional control). The results indicate that nanofiber topography significantly suppresses astrocyte proliferation and enhances apoptosis, without altering cellular activation as compared to films. Moreover, nanofiber topography enhances gene‐silencing efficiency in astrocytes. The results suggest that nanofibers may serve as potential substrates for nerve regeneration by suppressing astrocyte growth and may further facilitate the use of gene‐silencing to enhance CNS regeneration. The nanofiber topographic effect on the behavior of primary rat astrocytes is studied to gain insights into the design of tissue‐engineered scaffolds. Results suggest that electrospun nanofibers may serve as a potential platform for translating gene‐silencing technology to treat nerve injuries in the central nervous system, by minimizing glial scar formation and enhancing siRNA silencing efficiency.