Fabrication of alginate/polyvinyl alcohol scaffold containing chitosan nanoparticles loaded with paclitaxel for skin tissue engineering

Skin cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Paclitaxel (PTX) is commonly used in chemotherapy but has limitations including poor solubility, lack of targeting, and systemic toxicity. This study developed polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate (PVA/SA) scaffolds embedded with PTX-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for targeted skin cancer therapy. PTX-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were synthesized via ionic gelation and incorporated into PVA/SA scaffolds using electrospinning. Characterization included morphological and structural analyses. Cytotoxicity was assessed via MTT assays on A431 human skin cancer cells. Optimized nanoparticles were spherical (∼118 nm) with 92% encapsulation efficiency. Electrospun nanofibers showed uniform, bead-free morphology (∼297 nm), suitable for drug delivery. The system provided sustained PTX release over seven days. Cytotoxicity tests confirmed biocompatibility of drug-free scaffolds, while PTX-loaded scaffolds reduced cancer cell viability to ∼47% after 72 h. These findings suggest that PVA/SA nanofibers embedded with PTX-loaded chitosan nanoparticles offer a promising platform for localized, sustained drug delivery in skin cancer treatment, potentially enhancing therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic side effects.