Issue 23, 2023

Osteogenic potential of a 3D printed silver nanoparticle-based electroactive scaffold for bone tissue engineering using human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells

Abstract

This study aims to perform biological assessments of an electroactive and anti-infection scaffold based on polycaprolactone/0.5 wt% silver nanoparticles (PCL/AgNPs) that was fabricated using a green synthesis approach followed by a 3D printing method without utilization of any toxic solvents, which has not been explored previously. For this purpose, human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (hWJ-MSCs) were used as a cell source to explore the biocompatibility and the ability to induce the osteogenesis process on the fabricated PCL and PCL/AgNPs scaffolds. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal microscopy and an alamar blue assay up to day 14 revealed that the PCL/AgNPs scaffolds have better cell attachment, penetration and proliferation than the PCL scaffolds. A gene expression study up to day 21 using the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) showed that the PCL/AgNPs scaffolds have better osteogenic differentiation at the gene level than the PCL scaffolds. This is indicated by the 2–3 fold greater expression of runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), collagen type I alpha 1 chain (COL1A1), and osteopontin (OPN) than the PCL scaffold. A protein expression study up to day 21 using immunocytochemistry and detection of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) revealed that the PCL/AgNPs scaffolds have better osteogenic differentiation at the protein level than the PCL scaffolds. This is shown by the observed collagen type I and osteopontin protein, and ALP activity at day 21 of PCL/AgNPs scaffolds (768 U L−1) which is 1.3 times higher than that of the PCL scaffolds (578 U L−1). These biological assessments showed that the combination of a green synthesis approach to prepare AgNPs and solvent-free 3D printing methods to fabricate the PCL/AgNPs scaffolds led to better biocompatibility and ability to induce the osteogenesis process, which is attractive for bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.

Graphical abstract: Osteogenic potential of a 3D printed silver nanoparticle-based electroactive scaffold for bone tissue engineering using human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
27 6 2023
Accepted
02 11 2023
First published
17 11 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Mater. Adv., 2023,4, 6407-6418

Osteogenic potential of a 3D printed silver nanoparticle-based electroactive scaffold for bone tissue engineering using human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells

M. Mira, A. Wibowo, G. U. N. Tajalla, G. Cooper, P. J. D. S. Bartolo and A. Barlian, Mater. Adv., 2023, 4, 6407 DOI: 10.1039/D3MA00332A

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