Transglutaminase release and activity from novel poly(ε-caprolactone)-based composites prepared by foaming with supercritical CO2

In this study, a green approach involving foaming techniques using supercritical CO2 (scCO(2)) and a salt leaching method was used to prepare new types of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL)-based scaffolds with entrapped thermo-sensitive enzyme transglutaminase (TGM). Porous PCL-based composites containing chitosan (CS) and hydroxyapatite (HAp) were characterized using different techniques to measure their composition, mechanical, morphological and sorption properties as a result of CO2 uptake. Scaffolds with improved mechanical properties and high porosity were obtained. The prepared scaffolds were assayed for their protein release patterns and enzymatic activity. When the enzyme was crosslinked into chitosan matrices with glutaraldehyde, an extended protein release and preserved enzymatic activity of TGM for up to 30 days were observed. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.