Marshall, Karen M., Wojciechowski, Jonathan P., Jayawarna, Vineetha, Hasan, Abshar, Echalier, Cécile, Callens, Sebastien J.P., Yang, Tao, Kanczler, Janos M., Dawson, Jonathan I., Mata, Alvaro, Salmeron-Sanchez, Manuel, Stevens, Molly M. and Oreffo, Richard O.C. (2025) Bioactive coatings on 3D printed polycaprolactone scaffolds for bone regeneration: a novel murine femur defect model for examination of the biomaterial capacity for repair. Advanced Materials Interfaces, 12 (1), [2400389]. (doi:10.1002/admi.202400389).
Abstract
Bone tissue engineering seeks to develop treatment approaches for non-healing and large bone defects. An ideal biodegradable scaffold would induce and support bone formation. The current study examined bone augmentation in critical-sized bone defects, using functionalised scaffolds, with the hypothesised potential to induce skeletal cell differentiation. 3D printed, porous poly(caprolactone) trimethacrylate (PCL-TMA900) scaffolds were applied within a murine femur defect, stabilised by a polyimide intramedullary pin. The PCL-TMA900 scaffolds were coated with i) elastin-like polypeptide (ELP), ii) poly(ethyl acrylate)/fibronectin/bone morphogenetic protein-2 (PEA/FN/BMP-2), iii) both ELP and PEA/FN/BMP-2, or iv) Laponite® nanoclay binding BMP-2. Sequential microcomputed tomography (µCT) and histological analysis was performed.
PCL-TMA900 was robust and biocompatible and when coated with the nanoclay material Laponite® and BMP-2 induced consistent, significant bone formation compared to the uncoated PCL-TMA900 scaffold. Critically, the BMP-2 was retained, due to the Laponite, producing bone around the scaffold in the desired shape and volume, compared to bone formation observed with the positive control (collagen sponge/BMP-2). The ELP and/or PEA/FN/BMP-2 scaffolds did not demonstrate significant or consistent bone formation. In summary, Laponite®/BMP-2 coated PCL-TMA900 scaffolds offer a biodegradable, osteogenic construct for bone augmentation with potential for development into a large scale polymer scaffold for clinical translation.
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