Piezoelectric Nanoarrays with Mechanical-Electrical Coupling Microenvironment for Innervated Bone Regeneration

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Peripheral nervous system neurons are vital for bone regeneration.
• Current strategies often neglect the combined mechanical and electrical cues of the bone microenvironment.
• Developing biomaterials that mimic the native bone extracellular matrix is crucial for effective regeneration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct and evaluate a mechanical-electrical coupling microenvironment (M-E) for promoting innervated bone regeneration.
• To investigate the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms activated by the M-E model.
• To explore the potential of piezoelectric nanoarrays in enhancing bone healing.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a mechanical-electrical coupling microenvironment (M-E) model using barium titanate piezoelectric nanoarrays.
• In vitro cell culture experiments using dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs).
• Analysis of ion channel activation (Piezo2, VGCC), calcium influx, downstream signaling pathways (PI3K-AKT, RAS), and CGRP release.

Main Results:

• The M-E model effectively mimicked the bone microenvironment's mechanical and electrical properties.
• The coupled microenvironment activated Piezo2 and VGCC channels, increasing calcium influx in DRG neurons.
• This led to enhanced CGRP synthesis and release, promoting BMSC osteogenic differentiation.

Conclusions:

• The developed M-E model based on piezoelectric nanoarrays significantly promotes innervated bone regeneration.
• This approach offers a novel strategy for designing biomaterials that leverage mechanical-electrical cues for tissue repair.
• The findings provide new insights into the interplay between neuronal signaling and bone healing.