In Vitro Biological Properties Assessment of 3D-Printed Hydroxyapatite-Polylactic Acid Scaffolds Intended for Bone...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• 3D-printed scaffolds are crucial for bone tissue engineering.
• Hydroxyapatite (HA) and polylactic acid (PLA) composites offer tunable properties.
• Optimizing scaffold design, including infill density, is key for biological performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the in vitro biological performance of two 3D-printed HA-PLA composite scaffolds with different infill densities (50% and 70%).
• To compare cell viability, proliferation, cytotoxicity, gene expression, and protein synthesis on HA-PLA50 and HA-PLA70 scaffolds.
• To determine the optimal sterilization method and assess the osteogenic potential of the scaffolds.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of HA-PLA composite scaffolds with 50% and 70% infill densities using 3D printing.
• Sterilization method evaluation, with UV radiation identified as preferred.
• In vitro assessment using MG-63 cell cultures, including viability, proliferation, cytotoxicity, gene expression (COL1A1), and protein synthesis (IL-6, IL-8) assays over 7 days.

Main Results:

• Both HA-PLA50 and HA-PLA70 scaffolds maintained good cell viability and proliferation without significant cytotoxicity.
• UV radiation proved to be a suitable sterilization method for the scaffolds.
• HA-PLA50 scaffolds exhibited significantly higher collagen type I (COL1A1) expression and increased interleukin synthesis (IL-6, IL-8), indicating superior osteogenic potential.

Conclusions:

• The HA-PLA50 scaffold demonstrates enhanced bioactivity and osteogenic potential compared to the HA-PLA70 scaffold.
• These findings suggest that the HA-PLA50 formulation is a promising candidate for bone tissue engineering applications.
• Optimized 3D-printed scaffolds like HA-PLA50 can serve as effective bone graft substitutes.