International Journal of Nanomedicine (May 2020)
Electrospun Icariin-Loaded Core-Shell Collagen, Polycaprolactone, Hydroxyapatite Composite Scaffolds for the Repair of Rabbit Tibia Bone Defects
Abstract
Hongbin Zhao,1 Junjie Tang,1 Dong Zhou,1 Yiping Weng,1 Wen Qin,1 Chun Liu,1 Songwei Lv,2 Wei Wang,3 Xiubo Zhao2,4 1Medical Research Centre, Changzhou Second People’s Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou 213164, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Life Science, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, People’s Republic of China; 3Medical School, Hexi University, Zhangye 730041, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UKCorrespondence: Hongbin Zhao; Xiubo Zhao Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Electrospinning is a widely used technology that can produce scaffolds with high porosity and surface area for bone regeneration. However, the small pore sizes in electrospun scaffolds constrain cell growth and tissue-ingrowth. In this study, novel drug-loading core-shell scaffolds were fabricated via electrospinning and freeze drying to facilitate the repair of tibia bone defects in rabbit models.Materials and Methods: The collagen core scaffolds were freeze-dried containing icariin (ICA)-loaded chitosan microspheres. The shell scaffolds were electrospun using collagen, polycaprolactone and hydroxyapatite materials to form CPH composite scaffolds with the ones containing ICA microspheres named CPHI. The core-shell scaffolds were then cross-linked by genipin. The morphology, microstructure, physical and mechanical properties of the scaffolds were assessed. Rat marrow mesenchymal stem cells from the wistar rat were cultured with the scaffolds. The cell adhesion and proliferation were analysed. Adult rabbit models with tibial plateau defects were used to evaluate the performance of these scaffolds in repairing the bone defects over 4 to 12 weeks.Results: The results reveal that the novel drug-loading core-shell scaffolds were successfully fabricated, which showed good physical and chemical properties and appropriate mechanical properties. Furthermore, excellent cells attachment was observed on the CPHI scaffolds. The results from radiography, micro-computed tomography, histological and immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that abundant new bones were formed on the CPHI scaffolds.Conclusion: These new core-shell composite scaffolds have great potential for bone tissue engineering applications and may lead to effective bone regeneration and repair.Keywords: icariin (ICA), electrospinning, polycaprolactone, collagen 1, hydroxyapatite, bone regeneration
