Self-Assembly-Driven Bi₂S₃ Nanobelts Integrated a Silk-Fibroin-Based 3D-Printed Aerogel-Based Scaffold with a...

Multifunctional all-in-one biomaterial combining the therapeutic and regeneration functionalities for successive tumor therapy and tissue regeneration is in high demand in interdisciplinary research. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) aerogel-based composite scaffold with a dual-network structure generated through self-assembly and photo-cross-linking with combined properties of photothermally triggered controlled anticancer drug release and photothermal cancer cell ablation was successfully fabricated. The fabrication of composites consists of self-assembly of a silk fibroin methacrylate (SF-MA) biopolymer incorporated with hydrothermally driven bismuth sulfide (Bi₂S₃) methacrylate nanobelts, followed by a photo-cross-linking-assisted 3D-printing process. The developed scaffolds presented hierarchically organized porosity and excellent photothermal conversion thanks to the strong near-infrared (NIR) photon absorption of incorporated Bi₂S₃ nanobelts inside the scaffold matrix. The heat generated in the scaffold mediated by laser irradiation has not only triggered controlled and prolonged release of the anticancer drug but also significantly ablated the bone cancer cells adhered on the scaffold. In addition, the developed 3D composite scaffolds have demonstrated excellent biodegradability for organic and inorganic network constituents at different media, enabling them as potential implants to be replaced by de novo tissue. In combination of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy, the multifunctional 3D-printed composite aerogel scaffold is expected to be an excellent implantable material in bone tissue engineering (BTE) for successive cancer therapy and tissue regeneration.