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Targeting micromotion for mimicking natural bone healing by using NIPAM/Nb2C hydrogel
Qianhao Yang1, Mengqiao Xu2, Haoyu Fang1
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200233, China.
Bioactive Materials
|May 27, 2024
Summary
Engineered hydrogels provide controlled micromotion to enhance bone fracture healing. This biomaterial activates stem cell differentiation and promotes faster, complete bone regeneration by mimicking natural healing processes.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Tissue Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Natural fracture healing relies on mechanical stimuli, specifically micromotion, for optimal efficiency.
- Existing methods for stimulating fracture healing lack precise control over mechanical cues.
- Developing biomaterials that can mimic physiological micromotion is crucial for advancing bone regeneration therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate a novel hydrogel system capable of generating controlled micromotion for enhanced bone healing.
- To investigate the effects of this biomaterial on osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs).
- To evaluate the in vivo efficacy and biocompatibility of the micromotion-generating hydrogel in bone defect models.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a near-infrared-II (NIR-II)-activated hydrogel by integrating two-dimensional (2D) monolayer Nb2C nanosheets into a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (NIPAM) system.
- Utilizing NIR-II light to trigger hydrogel deformation and induce controlled micromotion for cell culture.
- Assessing osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs under specific micromotion frequencies (1/300 Hz) and evaluating the role of Piezo1 activation via mRNA sequencing.
- Evaluating in vivo biocompatibility and osteoinductivity using calvarial and femoral shaft defect models with radiography, micro-CT, and immunohistochemistry.
Main Results:
- Micromotion at 1/300 Hz significantly promoted osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, indicated by a 2.37-fold change in cell length/diameter ratio.
- The pro-osteogenic effect of micromotion was mediated by Piezo1 activation, crucial for mechanosensing and differentiation.
- In vivo studies demonstrated that the Micromotion Biomaterial accelerated full-thickness bone regeneration, enhanced neovascularization, and promoted mineral deposition.
Conclusions:
- The developed NIPAM/Nb2C hydrogel effectively generates tunable micromotion, promoting BMSC osteogenic differentiation and accelerating bone regeneration.
- This biomaterial holds significant potential for regenerative medicine, offering a bionic-mimicking approach to fracture healing.
- Controllable mechanophysical characteristics of biomaterials can be leveraged to significantly improve bone repair outcomes.
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