3D-printed oxygen-releasing scaffolds improve bone regeneration in mice.
Academic Article
Overview
Research
Identity
Additional Document Info
Other
View All
Overview
abstract
Low oxygen (O2) diffusion into large tissue engineered scaffolds hinders the therapeutic efficacy of transplanted cells. To overcome this, we previously studied hollow, hyperbarically-loaded microtanks (tanks) to serve as O2 reservoirs. To adapt these for bone regeneration, we fabricated biodegradable tanks from polyvinyl alcohol and poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) and embedded them to form 3D-printed, porous poly--caprolactone (PCL)-tank scaffolds. PCL-tank scaffolds were loaded with pure O2 at 300-500 psi. When placed at atmospheric pressures, the scaffolds released O2 over a period of up to 8h. We confirmed the inhibitory effects of hypoxia on the osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs and we validated that tank-mediated transient hyperoxia had no toxic impacts on hASCs, possibly due to upregulation of endogenous antioxidant regulator genes. We assessed bone regeneration in vivo by implanting O2-loaded, hASC-seeded, PCL-tank scaffolds into murine calvarial defects (4mm diameters0.6mm height) and subcutaneously (4mm diameter8mm height). In both cases we observed increased deposition of extracellular matrix in the O2 delivery group along with greater osteopontin coverages and higher mineral deposition. This study provides evidence that even short-term O2 delivery from PCL-tank scaffolds may enhance hASC-mediated bone tissue regeneration.
