Programmed surface on poly(aryl-ether-ether-ketone) initiating immune mediation and fulfilling bone regeneration sequentially

The immune responses are involved in every stage after implantation but the reported immune-regulated materials only work at the beginning without fully considering the different phases of bone healing. Here, poly(aryl-ether-ether-ketone) (PEEK) is coated with a programmed surface, which rapidly releases interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the first week and slowly delivers dexamethasone (DEX) up to 4 weeks. Owing to the synergistic effects of IL-10 and DEX, an aptly weak inflammation is triggered within the first week, followed by significant M2 polarization of macrophages and upregulation of the autophagy-related factors. The suitable immunomodulatory activities pave the way for osteogenesis and the steady release of DEX facilitates bone regeneration thereafter. The sequential immune-mediated process is also validated by an 8-week implementation on a rat model. This is the first attempt to construct implants by taking advantage of both immune-mediated modulation and sequential regulation spanning all bone regeneration phases, which provides insights into the fabrication of advanced biomaterials for tissue engineering and immunological therapeutics.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates the development of a coated polymer material, PEEK, for immune modulation in different stages of bone healing by rapid release of IL-10 and slow delivery of DEX. The sequential immune-mediated process effectively reduces inflammation, promotes M2 polarization of macrophages, and upregulates autophagy-related factors, ultimately facilitating bone regeneration. This innovative approach paves the way for the fabrication of advanced biomaterials for tissue engineering and immunological therapeutics.