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Updated: May 8, 2025
Polyelectrolyte Complex for Heparin Binding Domain Osteogenic Growth Factor Delivery
Published on: August 22, 2016
An electrostatic encapsulation strategy to motivate 3D-printed polyelectrolyte scaffolds for repair of osteoporotic
Xiang Gao1, Jirong Yang2,3, Lingna Liu1
1Zhanjiang Key Laboratory of Orthopaedic Technology and Trauma Treatment, Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for the Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Research and Development of Natural Drugs, School of Pharmacy, School of Ocean and Tropical Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhanjiang Central Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524037, China.
Abstract:
Repair of osteoporotic bone defects (OBD) remains a clinical challenge due to dysregulated bone homeostasis, characterized by impaired osteogenesis and excessive osteoclast activity. While drug-loaded 3D-printed scaffolds hold great potential in the restoration of bone homeostasis for enhanced OBD repair, achieving the controlled release and targeted delivery of drugs in a 3D-printed scaffold is still unmet. Herein, we developed an electrostatic encapsulation strategy to motivate 3D-printed polyelectrolyte scaffolds (APS@P) with bone-targeting liposome formulation of salvianolic acid B (SAB-BTL). Benefiting from this strategy, SAB, an unstable and untargetable plant-derived osteogenic compound, was effectively encapsulated in APS@P, demonstrating stable and precise delivery with improved therapeutic efficacy. Owing to SAB-mediated bone homeostasis, APS@P significantly promoted angiogenesis and new bone formation while suppressing bone resorption, resulting in a significant 146 % increase in bone mass and improved microstructure compared to the OBD group. It was confirmed that the encapsulation of SAB into APS@P could promote the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs by stimulating Tph2/Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis, coupled with the stimulation of type H angiogenesis and the suppression of RANKL-mediate bone resorption, thereby enhance OBD repair. This study provides a universal platform for enhancing the bioactivity of tissue-engineered scaffolds, offering an effective solution for the efficient regeneration of osteoporotic bone.
