3D Printed Polylactic Acid-Based Nanocomposite Scaffold Stuffed With Microporous Simvastatin-Loaded Polyelectrolyte for Craniofacial Reconstruction Publisher Pubmed

Summary: 3D-printed scaffold with simvastatin boosts bone regrowth in rat skull defects, promising for craniofacial repair. #BoneRegeneration #3DPrinting

Tavakoli M¹ ; Salehi H² ; Emadi R¹ ; Varshosaz J³ ; Labbaf S¹ ; Seifalian AM⁴ ; Sharifianjazi F⁵ ; Mirhaj M¹
Source: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules Published:2024

Abstract

Critical sized craniofacial defects are among the most challenging bone defects to repair, due to the anatomical complexity and aesthetic importance. In this study, a polylactic acid/hardystonite-graphene oxide (PLA/HTGO) scaffold was fabricated through 3D printing. In order to upgrade the 3D printed scaffold to a highly porous scaffold, its channels were filled with pectin-quaternized chitosan (Pec-QCs) polyelectrolyte solution containing 0 or 20 mg/mL of simvastatin (Sim) and then freeze-dried. These scaffolds were named FD and FD-Sim, respectively. Also, similar PLA/HTGO scaffolds were prepared and dip coated with Pec-QCs solution containing 0 or 20 mg/mL of Sim and were named DC and DC-Sim, respectively. The formation of macro/microporous structure was confirmed by morphological investigations. The release of Sim from DC-Sim and FD-Sim scaffolds after 28 days was measured as 77.40 ± 5.25 and 86.02 ± 3.63 %, respectively. Cytocompatibility assessments showed that MG-63 cells had the highest proliferation, attachment and spread on the Sim containing scaffolds, especially FD-Sim. In vivo studies on a rat calvarial defect model revealed that an almost complete recovery occurred in the group treated with FD-Sim scaffold after 8 weeks and the defect was filled with newly formed bone. The results of this study acknowledge that the FD-Sim scaffold can be a perfect candidate for calvarial defect repair. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.