Three-Dimensional Printing of Nano Hydroxyapatite/Poly(ester urea) Composite Scaffolds with Enhanced Bioactivity

Biomacromolecules. 2017 Dec 11;18(12):4171-4183. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.7b01222. Epub 2017 Oct 25.

Abstract

Polymer-bioceramic composites incorporate the desirable properties of each material while mitigating the limiting characteristics of each component. 1,6-Hexanediol l-phenylalanine-based poly(ester urea) (PEU) blended with hydroxyapatite (HA) nanocrystals were three-dimensional (3D) printed into porous scaffolds (75% porosity) via fused deposition modeling and seeded with MC3T3-E1 preosteoblast cells in vitro to examine their bioactivity. The resulting 3D printed scaffolds exhibited a compressive modulus of ∼50 MPa after a 1-week incubation in PBS at 37 °C, cell viability >95%, and a composition-dependent enhancement of radio-contrast. The influence of HA on MC3T3-E1 proliferation and differentiation was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry and biochemical assays. After 4 weeks, alkaline phosphatase activity increased significantly for the 30% HA composite with values reaching 2.5-fold greater than the control. Bone sialoprotein showed approximately 880-fold higher expression and 15-fold higher expression of osteocalcin on the 30% HA composite compared to those of the control. Calcium quantification results demonstrated a 185-fold increase of calcium concentration in mineralized extracellular matrix deposition after 4 weeks of cell culture in samples with higher HA content. 3D printed HA-containing PEU composites promote bone regeneration and have the potential to be used in orthopedic applications.

MeSH terms

  • Alkaline Phosphatase / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry
  • Bone Regeneration / drug effects
  • Bone and Bones / drug effects
  • Bone and Bones / metabolism
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Durapatite / administration & dosage*
  • Durapatite / chemistry*
  • Extracellular Matrix / drug effects
  • Extracellular Matrix / metabolism
  • Integrin-Binding Sialoprotein / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Nanoparticles / administration & dosage
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Osteoblasts / drug effects
  • Osteoblasts / metabolism
  • Osteocalcin / metabolism
  • Osteogenesis / drug effects
  • Polyesters / chemistry*
  • Polymers / administration & dosage
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Porosity
  • Printing, Three-Dimensional
  • Tissue Engineering / methods
  • Tissue Scaffolds
  • Urea / chemistry*

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Integrin-Binding Sialoprotein
  • Polyesters
  • Polymers
  • Osteocalcin
  • Urea
  • Durapatite
  • Alkaline Phosphatase