Conductive and Enhanced Mechanical Strength of Mo2Ti2C3 MXene-Based Hydrogel Promotes Neurogenesis and Bone Regeneration in Bone Defect Repair

Abstract

Bone defects are common with increasing high-energy fractures, tumor bone invasion, and implantation revision surgery. Bone is an electroactive tissue that has electromechanical interaction with collogen, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts. Hydrogel provides morphological plasticity and extracellular matrix (ECM) 3D structures for cell survival, and is widely used as a bone engineering material. However, the hydrogels have poor mechanical intensity and lack of cell adhesion, slow gelation time, and limited conductivity. MXenes are novel nanomaterials with hydrophilic groups that sense cell electrophysiology and improve hydrogel electric conductivity. Herein, gelatin had multiple active groups (NH2, OH, and COOH) and an accelerated gelation time. Acrylamide has Schiff base bonds to cross-link with gelatin and absorb metal ions. Deacetylated chitosan improved cell adhesion and active groups to connect MXene and acrylamide. We constructed Mo₂Ti₂C₃ MXene hydrogel with improved elastic modulus and viscosity, chemical cross-linking structure, electric conductivity, and good compatibility. Mo₂Ti₂C₃ MXene hydrogel exhibits outstanding osteogenesis in vitro. Mo₂Ti₂C₃ MXene hydrogel promotes osteogenesis via alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alizarin red S (ARS) staining, improving osteogenic marker genes and protein expressions in vitro. Mo₂Ti₂C₃ MXene hydrogel aids new bone formation in the in vivo calvarial bone defect model via micro-CT and histology. Mo₂Ti₂C₃ MXene hydrogel facilitates neurogenesis factors nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, and aids newly born neuron marker Tuj-1 and sensory neuron marker serotonin (5-HT) and osteogenesis pathway proteins, runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteocalcin (OCN), SMAD family member 4 (SMAD4), and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) in the bone defect repair process. Mo₂Ti₂C₃ MXene hydrogel promotes osteogenesis and neurogenesis, which extends its biomedical application in bone defect reconstruction.

Keywords: Mo2Ti2C3 MXene; bone defect; hydrogel; neurogenesis; osteogenesis.