Zinc oxide nanoparticle loaded L-carnosine biofunctionalized polyacrylonitrile nanofibrous wound dressing for post-surgical treatment of melanoma

Nanofibrous dressing materials with an antitumor function can potentially inhibit recurrence of melanoma following the surgical excision of skin tumors. In this study, hydrolyzed polyacrylonitrile (hPAN) nanofibers biofunctionalized with L-carnosine (CAR) and loaded with bio (CAR)-synthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, ZnO/CAR-hPAN (hereafter called ZCPAN), were employed to develop an antimelanoma wound dressing. Inspired by the formulation of the commercial wound healing Zn-CAR complex, i.e., polaprezinc (PLZ), for the first time, we benefitted from the synergy of zinc and CAR to create an antimelanoma nanofibrous wound dressing. According to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, ultrafine ZnO nanoparticles were homogenously distributed throughout the nanofibrous dressing. The ZCPAN nanofiber mat showed a significantly higher toughness (18.7 MJ.m−3 vs. 1.4 MJ.m−3) and an enhanced elongation at break (stretchability) compared to the neat PAN nanofiber mat (12% vs. 9.5%). Additionally, optical coherence elastography (OCE) measurements indicated that the ZCPAN nanofibrous dressing was as stiff as 50.57 ± 8.17 kPa which is notably larger than that of the PAN nanofibrous dressing, i.e., 24.49 ± 6.83 kPa. The optimum mechanical performance of the ZCPAN nanofibers originates from physicochemical interaction of CAR ligands, hPAN nanofibers, and ZnO nanoparticles through hydrogen bonding, electrostatic bonding, and esterification, as verified using ATR-FTIR. An in vitro cell viability assay using human skin melanoma cells implied that the cells are notably killed in the presence of the ZCPAN nanofibers compared to the PAN nanofibers. Thanks to ROS generating ZnO nanoparticles, this behavior originates from the high reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative damage of melanoma cells, as verified through a CellROX assay. In this regard, an apoptotic cell response to the ZCPAN nanofibers was recorded through an apoptosis assay. Taken together, the ZCPAN nanofibers induce an antimelanoma effect through oxidative stress and thus are a high potential wound dressing material to suppress melanoma regrowth after surgical excision of skin tumors.