Enhancing the osteogenic differentiation of aligned electrospun poly (L-lactic acid) nanofiber scaffolds by incorporation of bioactive calcium silicate nanowires

Bone defects cause serious psychological and economic burden to patients. Artificially bone repairing materials bring hope to the treatment of bone defects. Electrospun technique has attracted great attention since it can fabricate fibers from nano-to micro-scale continuously. Scaffolds fabricated by electrospun can mimic the structure of extracellular matrix which is beneficial to cell adhesion and migration. Researches have showed that bioactive ions (such as silicon and calcium ions) can promote bone regeneration. In addition, physical cues can affect cellular behavior such as cell adhesion and differentiation. In this study, two kinds of calcium silicate - adopted poly (L-lactic acid) (CS-PLLA) electrospun scaffolds with random/aligned structures were prepared by electrospun to promote bone regeneration. The integration of CS nanowires improved the biological property of PLLA electrospun scaffolds. Furthermore, in vitro results indicated that aligned 1 wt% CS adopted PLLA (PCA1) electrospun scaffolds with better physical properties and facilitated cell adhesion, improved alkaline phosphate (ALP) activity and the expression of osteogenic genes (Osteopontin (OPN), Collagen type 1 (Col-1) and Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2)) compared with random 1 wt% CS adopted PLLA (PCR1) electrospun scaf-folds. In conclusion, the prepared PCA1 electrospun scaffolds might be a potential candidate for bone regener-ation in defect areas.

Automated summary

Bone defects cause significant physical and economic burden, but the use of artificially bone repairing materials shows promise. Electrospinning is a popular technique to fabricate fibers for scaffold structures that mimic the extracellular matrix and promote cell attachment and migration. Research has demonstrated the benefits of bioactive ions and physical cues in bone regeneration. In this study, electrospun scaffolds made of calcium silicate and poly (L-lactic acid) were prepared, and the ones with aligned structure exhibited improved physical properties and enhanced cell adhesion and osteogenic gene expression. These findings suggest that the prepared scaffolds have potential for bone regeneration.