LAUSR

Biopolymer nanofibrous membranes have gained considerable attention as advanced biomaterial scaffolds for guided bone regeneration owing to their remarkable structural and functional characteristics. In this study, we developed a novel composite membrane by incorporating deferoxamine (DFO) into tussah silk nanofibrous (Tsn) membranes to synergistically enhance angiogenic and osteogenic capabilities. The physically sheared Tsn membranes predominantly exhibited β-sheet conformations, confirming the preservation of silk’s natural secondary structure. Comparative analysis between pristine Tsn and DFO-loaded (DFO-Tsn) membranes revealed that drug incorporation resulted in modest reductions in mechanical parameters, including breaking stress, breaking strain, and Young’s modulus. In vitro evaluations demonstrated a time-dependent increase in cell proliferation within the DFO-loaded group, suggesting that the composite membrane maintained excellent biocompatibility. Most notably, when implanted in a rat cranial defect model, the DFO-Tsn group showed substantially enhanced bone regeneration compared to Tsn controls, as evidenced by comprehensive micro-CT analysis and histomorphometric evaluation. These findings collectively demonstrate that DFO-loaded Tsn membranes show great potential for use in bone tissue regeneration.