Micelle encapsulated curcumin and piperine-laden 3D printed calcium phosphate scaffolds enhance in vitro biological properties

Abstract

Limitations in the current clinical management of critical-sized osseous defects have driven the need for multifunctional bone constructs. The ideal bone scaffold should possess advanced microarchitecture, well-defined pore interconnectivity, and supply biological signals, which actively guide and control tissue regeneration while simultaneously preventing post-implantation complications. Here, a natural medicine-based localized drug delivery from 3D printed scaffold is presented, which offers controlled release of curcumin, piperine from nano-sized polymeric micelles, and burst release of antibacterial carvacrol from the coating endowing the scaffold with their distinct, individual biological properties. This functionalized scaffold exhibits improved osteoblast (hFOB) cell attachment, 4-folds higher hFOB proliferation, and 73% increased hFOB differentiation while simultaneously providing cytotoxicity towards osteosarcoma cells with 61% lesser viability compared to control. In vitro, early tube formation (p < 0.001) indicates that the scaffolds can modulate the endothelial cellular network, critical for faster wound healing. The scaffold also exhibits 94% enhanced antibacterial efficacy (p < 0.001) against gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, the main causative bacteria for osteomyelitis. Together, the multifunctional scaffolds provide controlled delivery of natural biomolecules from the nano-sized micelle-loaded 3D printed matrix for significant improvement in osteoblast proliferation, endothelial formation, osteosarcoma, and bacterial inhibition, guiding better bone regeneration for post-traumatic defect repair.