Acceleration of Bone Regeneration in Critical-Size Defect Using BMP-9-Loaded nHAColIMWCNTs Scaffolds Seeded with Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Abstract EN

Biocompatible scaffolding materials play an important role in bone tissue engineering.

This study sought to develop and characterize a nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA)/collagen I (ColI)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composite scaffold loaded with recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-9 (BMP-9) for bone tissue engineering by in vitro and in vivo experiments.

The composite nHA/ColI/MWCNT scaffolds were fabricated at various concentrations of MWCNTs (0.5, 1, and 1.5% wt) by blending and freeze drying.

The porosity, swelling rate, water absorption rate, mechanical properties, and biocompatibility of scaffolds were measured.

After loading with BMP-9, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) were seeded to evaluate their characteristics in vitro and in a critical sized defect in Sprague-Dawley rats in vivo.

It was shown that the 1% MWCNT group was the most suitable for bone tissue engineering.

Our results demonstrated that scaffolds loaded with BMP-9 promoted differentiation of BMMSCs into osteoblasts in vitro and induced more bone formation in vivo.

To conclude, nHA/ColI/MWCNT scaffolds loaded with BMP-9 possess high biocompatibility and osteogenesis and are a good candidate for use in bone tissue engineering.