Three-Dimensional-Printed Polylactic Acid Scaffolds Coated With a Paeonol-Incorporated Gelatin/Bioactive Glass...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Customizable three-dimensional (3D)-printed scaffolds offer alternatives in bone tissue engineering (BTE).
• Polylactic acid (PLA) is a strong, FDA-approved polymer for 3D printing, but its hydrophobicity limits tissue regeneration.
• Paeonol (PN), a natural compound, has therapeutic potential but requires an effective delivery system for bone regeneration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) scaffolds coated with gelatin (GEL)/bioactive glass (BG) containing paeonol (PN) for enhanced bone regeneration.
• To assess the osteogenic potential of the developed PLA/GEL/BG-PN scaffolds.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of 3D-printed PLA scaffolds coated with GEL/BG incorporating PN.
• Evaluation of scaffold properties including swelling, degradation, and protein adsorption.
• Biocompatibility testing with mouse mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).
• Assessment of osteoblastic differentiation via cellular and molecular analyses.

Main Results:

• GEL/BG incorporation improved scaffold swelling, degradation, and protein adsorption without significantly altering characteristics with PN.
• The developed PLA/GEL/BG-PN scaffolds demonstrated biocompatibility with MSCs.
• Significant promotion of osteoblastic differentiation was observed in cellular and molecular studies.

Conclusions:

• The developed PLA/GEL/BG-PN scaffolds facilitate sustained and localized delivery of PN.
• These scaffolds exhibit promising biocompatibility and osteogenic potential for bone tissue engineering applications.
• The combination of PLA, GEL, BG, and PN presents a viable strategy for advancing BTE therapies.