In vitro study for bone tissue regeneration using composite of bioglass and gelatin nanofiber scaffolds

Current bio-medical situation necessitates the development of natural and/or synthetic biomaterials that can enhance biomineralization both in-vitro and in-vivo. Towards that aim, we synthesized nanofibrous scaffolds of 81S(81SiO₂-12CaO-2P₂O₅-1Na₂O-4MgO) and 85S(85SiO₂-10CaO-5P₂O₅ mol%) bio-glass of varying concentrations with gelatin using electrospinning. XRD and FTIR confirm scaffold formation, while SEM-EDS analysis reveals fibrous structure with homogenous distribution of nBG inside the fibre. All scaffolds are found to be hydrophilic. MTT assay reveals non-cytotoxicity towards Saos-2 cells for all the scaffolds. Further, biocompatibility studies using DAPI, Phalloidin, and Vinculin show enhanced adhesion and proliferation of osteogenic cells using 85S_5 scaffolds. Cellular ROS levels (via H₂DCFDA) remain unchanged, though mitochondrial ROS (via MitoSOX) increases in 85S_5 and decreases in 85S_10. Both 85S_5 and 85S_10 scaffolds exhibit increased mitochondrial membrane potential (∆Ψm) measured by TMRM. These scaffolds enhance the metabolic status of mitochondria, which is critical for osteogenesis. Besides, no significant change in cardiolipin levels is observed. ALP assay confirms early osteogenic differentiation, and mineralization assay shows significant calcium-based nodule deposition for both scaffolds. The study suggests that the synthesized 85S_5 scaffold is non-toxic and non-detrimental towards the osteogenic cells, supports adhesion, proliferation and differentiation, thus can serve as suitable scaffold for repair/regeneration of bone tissue.