Gelatin nanofibers (GNs) prepared by electrospinning were cross-linked with glutaraldehyde vapor to improve their water-resistant ability. After cross-linking treatment, the form of the fibers expressed no substantial change, but the average diameter of the fibers increased with increasing cross-linking time. The swelling induced by the moisture during the cross-linking process was moderated when the cross-linking time reached 45 min. The contact angle measurements confirmed that the electrospun gelatin fibers were more hydrophilic than the gelatin film (GF). Increasing the cross-linking time did not alter the hydrophilic properties of the gelatin fibers. The cell compatibility was evaluated based on 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, scanning electron microscope and confocal microscope observations, and Western blot analysis by culturing MG-63 cells on the GFs and GNs. The nanofibrous structure fabricated by an electrospinning technique was found to enhance cell adhesion and proliferation. This process is a cost-effective simulation of GN structures’ promising applications on scaffold preparation for tissue engineering.

In this study, magnetic nanoparticles composed of a core (doxorubicin–gelatin) and a shell layer (Fe₃O₄–alginate) were developed to function as targeted anticancer drug delivery vehicles. The anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was selected as a model drug and embedded in the inner gelatin core to obtain high encapsulation efficiency. The advantage of the outer magnetic layer is that it targets the drug to the tumor tissue and provides controlled drug release. The physicochemical properties of doxorubicin–gelatin/Fe₃O₄–alginate nanoparticles (DG/FA NPs) were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction. The mean diameter of DG/FA NPs, which was determined using a zeta potential analyzer, was 401.8 ± 3.6 nm. The encapsulation rate was 64.6 ± 11.8%. In vitro drug release and accumulation were also studied. It was found that the release of DOX accelerated in an acidic condition. With the manipulation of an external magnetic field, DG/FA NPs efficiently targeted Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) breast cancer cells and showed in the nucleus after 6 h of incubation. After 12 h of incubation, the relative fluorescence intensity reached 98.4%, and the cell viability of MCF-7 cells decreased to 52.3 ± 4.64%. Dual-layer DG/FA NPs could efficiently encapsulate and deliver DOX into MCF-7 cells to cause the death of cancer cells. The results show that DG/FA NPs have the potential for use in targeted drug delivery and cancer therapy.

Impaired growth factor production, angiogenic response, macrophage function, and collagen accumulation have been shown to delay wound healing. Delayed wound healing is a debilitating complication of diabetes that leads to significant morbidity. In this study, curcumin and Lithospermi radix (LR) extract, which are used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine, were added within nanofibrous membranes to improve wound healing in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat model. Gelatin-based nanofibers, which were constructed with curcumin and LR extract at a flow rate of 0.1 mL/hour and an applied voltage of 20 kV, were electrospun onto chitosan scaffolds to produce bilayer nanofibrous scaffolds (GC/L/C). The wounds treated with GC/L/C exhibited a higher recovery rate and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) expression in Western blot assays. The decreased levels of pro-inflammatory markers, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), provided evidence for the anti-inflammatory effects of GC/L/C treatment. Chronic wounds treated with GC/L/C achieved better performance with a 58 ± 7% increase in recovery rate on the seventh day. Based on its anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects, the GC/L/C bilayer nanofibrous scaffolds can be potential materials for chronic wound treatment.