Osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells on polycaprolactone 3D-printed scaffolds containing bioactive bioceramic

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a promising approach to fabricating bone tissue engineering scaffolds with desired geometry and properties. In this study, we hypothesized that a post-fabrication modification process with baghdadite as a bioactive glass can improve the osteoconductivity of PCL-based 3D-printed scaffolds. The main advantage of this study is the introduction of a cost-effective post-fabrication process for the treatment of 3D-printed porous scaffold for bone tissue engineering applications. The 3D-printed scaffolds were fabricated with circular four-layer and lay-down 0/90°patterns, before exposing them to three different concentrations of baghdadite (1 %, 5 %, and 10 %). The results showed that the addition of baghdadite to the PCL scaffolds did not alter the mechanical behavior of the scaffold. However, the hydrolytic degradation rate was higher for PCL/baghdadite than for plasma-treated scaffold. The biocompatibility of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) cultured on the scaffolds was evaluated by MTT and live/dead staining assays. The osteogenic differentiation ability of scaffolds was measured by evaluating alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, calcium deposition, and four bone-related gene expressions (osteocalcin, osteonectin, ALP, and RUNX). The results revealed that the surface treatment of printed scaffolds significantly improved the osteogenic differentiation of hASCs culture on scaffolds and therefore this method can be an effective approach for the treatment of bone tissue engineering scaffolds.