3D‐printed MgO nanoparticle loaded polycaprolactone β‐tricalcium phosphate composite scaffold for bone tissue engineering applications: In‐vitro and in‐vivo evaluation

Abstract

Magnesium (Mg) plays an important role in controlling bone apatite structure and density and is a potential bioactive material in repairing critical‐sized bone defects. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of adding NanoMgO to polycaprolactone/beta‐tricalcium phosphate (PCL/β‐TCP) scaffolds on bone regeneration. Novel 3D‐printed porous PCL/β‐TCP composite scaffolds containing 10% nanoMgO were fabricated by fused deposition modeling (FDM) and compared with PCL/β‐TCP (1:1) scaffolds (control). The morphology and physicochemical properties of the scaffolds were characterized by ATR‐FTIR, XRD, scanning electron microscope‐energy dispersive X‐ray analysis (SEM–EDX), transmission‐electron‐microscopy (TEM), water contact angle, and compressive strength tests and correlated to its cytocompatibility and osteogenic capacity in‐vitro. To evaluate in‐vivo osteogenic capacity, bone‐marrow‐derived stem cell (BMSC)‐loaded scaffolds were implanted into 8 mm rat critical‐sized calvarial defects for 12 weeks. The hydrophilic scaffolds showed 50% porosity (pore size = 504 μm). MgO nanoparticles (91.5 ± 27.6 nm) were homogenously dispersed and did not adversely affect BMSCs' viability and differentiation. Magnesium significantly increased elastic modulus, pH, and degradation. New bone formation (NBF) in Micro‐CT was 30.16 ± 0.31% and 23.56 ± 1.76% in PCL/β‐TCP/nanoMgO scaffolds with and without BMSCs respectively, and 19.38 ± 2.15% and 15.75 ± 2.24% in PCL/β‐TCP scaffolds with and without BMSCs respectively. Angiogenesis was least remarkable in PCL/β‐TCP compared with other groups (p < .05). Our results suggest that the PCL/β‐TCP/nanoMgO scaffold is a more suitable bone substitute compared to PCL/β‐TCP in critical‐sized calvarial defects.

Magnesium Oxide (MgO) Nanoparticles: Synthetic Strategies and Biomedical Applications

“…Safiaghdam and his team [219] outlined in their research the production and examination of a 3D-printed scaffold using fused deposition modeling, incorporating magnesium oxide nanoparticles into polycaprolactone/beta-tricalciumphosphate (PCL/β-TCP). The resultant composite scaffolds exhibited a porous structure with favorable wettability.…”

New Generation of Osteoinductive and Antimicrobial Polycaprolactone-Based Scaffolds in Bone Tissue Engineering: A Review

“…Numerous studies proved the feasibility to add calcium phosphate particles into melts of PCL, and extrude composite filaments, to be further used in the 3D printing process [ 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 ]. Composite scaffolds made of PCL and HA at 20 wt% have been fabricated using either micro- or nano-sized HA particles, and 3D pore structures of different sizes were produced successfully [ 73 ].…”

“…HA played a role in enhancing the compressive strength and especially the Young’s modulus: the researchers determined an increase by 30% in the filaments and by 50% in the scaffolds [ 80 ]. Safiaghdam et al [ 74 ] developed PCL/β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) 3D constructs with and without magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles, and proved a role of MgO in boosting the osteogenic capacity in vivo. To this aim, the inorganic fillers were added to melts of PCL, and filaments were used to print lattice scaffolds [ 74 ].…”

“…Safiaghdam et al [ 74 ] developed PCL/β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) 3D constructs with and without magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles, and proved a role of MgO in boosting the osteogenic capacity in vivo. To this aim, the inorganic fillers were added to melts of PCL, and filaments were used to print lattice scaffolds [ 74 ]. Analogously, Krobot et al [ 75 ] prepared blends of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)-(PHB)/PLA/PCL and incorporated TCP particles as a bioactive filler.…”

“…In a study, 3D scaffolds were fabricated using PCL and 45 wt% of β-TCP, with or without the addition of 10 wt% of MgO nanoparticles. The resulting scaffolds exhibited a well-defined microstructure, a size of pores of about 500 μm, and an effective dispersion of MgO nanoparticles [ 74 ].…”