HBNP Incorporated, Aligned Nanofiber Scaffolds for Osteogenesis

Abstract

Various scaffolds have been attempted on osteogenesis and osteogenic differentiation. Recently poly (ε-caprolactone) has been employed in various in vivo medical devices. This semi-crystalline polymer have been combined with other polymers or additives to improve various properties. It was also used to fabricate effective nanostructures using various methods such as lithography and electrospinning. Several approaches that add nanosized hydroxyapatite (nHA) into electrospun PCL nanofibers showed great performances. However, the nHA used to the previous studies are synthetic HA, because nanosized xenogenic HA have not been developed. Recently, we developed new horse bone-derived nanopowder (HBNP) from waste horse bone. Because xenogenic HA has better osteogenic ability than synthetic HA, HBNP-incorporated nanofibrous scaffold is anticipated to have better healing efficacy than formerly developed HA-incorporated nanofibrous scaffolds. In this study, we developed electrospun, HBNP-incorporated nanofibrous scaffolds (HBNP-NSs). Furthermore, aligned HBNP-NSs as well as random HBNP-NSs were fabricated using rotating drum. Eight kinds of specimen were prepared by varying HBNP/nHA percentage in PCL solution. Scanning electron microscopy showed that fibers produced using rotating drum are well aligned to certain direction. As high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HFTEM) suggests, HBNP and nHA particles are well incorporated into the fiber. To determine the effect of HBNP and aligned nanofiber structure on bone progenitor cell, dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) were cultured on the NSs and analyzed by WST assay. From proliferation test, it turned out that aligned, HBNP incorporated scaffold promoted proliferation and viability of DPSCs. In future study, we are looking forward to carry on additional differentiation test and in vivo proliferation and differentiation test in the end.