Bi-lineage inducible and immunoregulatory electrospun fibers scaffolds for synchronous regeneration of tendon-to-bone interface

Haihan Gao; Liren Wang; Zhiqi Lin; Haocheng Jin; Yangbao Lyu; Yuhao Kang; Tonghe Zhu; Jinzhong Zhao; Jia Jiang

doi:10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100749

Bi-lineage inducible and immunoregulatory electrospun fibers scaffolds for synchronous regeneration of tendon-to-bone interface

Mater Today Bio. 2023 Jul 26:22:100749. doi: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100749. eCollection 2023 Oct.

Authors

Haihan Gao^{1

2}, Liren Wang^{1

2}, Zhiqi Lin¹, Haocheng Jin¹, Yangbao Lyu¹, Yuhao Kang¹, Tonghe Zhu³, Jinzhong Zhao^{1

4

5}, Jia Jiang^{1

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Sports Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200233, China.
² Regenerative Sports Medicine and Translational Youth Science and Technology Innovation Workroom, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 227 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai, 200025, China.
³ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Pharmaceutical Intelligent Equipment, Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Center for Druggability of Cardiovascular Non-coding RNA, Institute for Frontier Medical Technology, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, 333 Longteng Rd., Shanghai, 201620, PR China.
⁴ Regenerative Sports Medicine Lab of the Institute of Microsurgery on Extremities, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200233, China.
⁵ Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Orthopaedic Material Innovation and Tissue Regeneration Building 3, Langu Science and Technology Park, Lane 70, Haiji 6th Road, Shanghai, 201306, China.

Abstract

Facilitating regeneration of the tendon-to-bone interface can reduce the risk of postoperative retear after rotator cuff repair. Unfortunately, undesirable inflammatory responses following injury, difficulties in fibrocartilage regeneration, and bone loss in the surrounding area are major contributors to suboptimal tendon-bone healing. Thus, the development of biomaterials capable of regulating macrophage polarization to a favorable phenotype and promoting the synchronous regeneration of the tendon-to-bone interface is currently a top priority. Here, strontium-doped mesoporous bioglass nanoparticles (Sr-MBG) were synthesized through a modulated sol-gel method and Bi-lineage Inducible and Immunoregulatory Electrospun Fibers Scaffolds (BIIEFS) containing Sr-MBG were fabricated. The BIIEFS were biocompatible, showed sustained release of multiple types of bioactive ions, enhanced osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and facilitated macrophage polarization towards the M2 phenotype in vitro. The implantation of BIIEFS at the torn rotator cuff resulted in greater numbers of M2 macrophages and the synchronous regeneration of tendon, fibrocartilage, and bone at the tendon-to-bone interface, leading to a significant improvement in the biomechanical strength of the supraspinatus tendon-humerus complexes. Our research offers a feasible strategy to fabricate immunoregulatory and multi-lineage inducible electrospun fibers scaffolds incorporating bioglass nanoparticles for the regeneration of soft-to-hard tissue interfaces.

Keywords: Bioactive ions; Electrospinning; Macrophages; Mesoporous bioglass nanoparticles; Rotator cuff tear; Tendon-to-bone interface.