Aligned electrospun porous P34HB/lecithin scaffold for bone tissue regeneration

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Bone tissue engineering seeks scaffolds for bone regeneration.
• Aligned nanofibrous structures offer contact guidance and enhance mechanotransduction compared to random fibers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of aligned electrospun poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P34HB) nanofibrous scaffolds with lecithin coating on guided bone regeneration.

Main Methods:

• Fabricated aligned (PA) and random (PR) P34HB scaffolds via electrospinning.
• Coated aligned scaffolds with lecithin (PA/L).
• Characterized scaffold morphology, composition, and properties; assessed cellular behavior (proliferation, adhesion, osteogenic differentiation) of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs); evaluated bone repair in a rat calvarial defect model.

Main Results:

• Lecithin coating significantly increased scaffold hydrophilicity (water contact angle reduced from 112.3° to 48.6°).
• PA/L scaffolds exhibited highest ALP activity and mineralization in vitro.
• In vivo, the PA/L group showed the highest bone volume fraction (38.7% ± 3.2%) at 4 weeks post-implantation.

Conclusions:

• Aligned P34HB nanofibrous scaffolds combined with lecithin coating demonstrate a synergistic effect in promoting osteogenesis and bone defect regeneration.
• This combination offers a promising strategy for bone tissue regeneration by guiding cell growth and enhancing osteogenic differentiation.