| BACKGROUND: The major challenge of tissue engineering is to develop constructions with suitable properties which
would mimic the natural extracellular matrix to induce the proliferation and differentiation of cells. Poly(e-caprolactone)-
poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL-PEG-PCL, PCEC), chitosan (CS), nano-silica (n-SiO2) and nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) are biomaterials successfully applied for the preparation of 3D structures appropriate for tissue
engineering.
METHODS: We evaluated the effect of n-HA and n-SiO2 incorporated PCEC-CS nanofibers on physical properties and
osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field
emission scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, thermogravimetric analysis, contact angle and
mechanical test were applied to evaluate the physicochemical properties of nanofibers. Cell adhesion and proliferation of
hDPSCs and their osteoblastic differentiation on nanofibers were assessed using MTT assay, DAPI staining, alizarin red S
staining, and QRT-PCR assay.
RESULTS: All the samples demonstrated bead-less morphologies with an average diameter in the range of 190–260 nm.
The mechanical test studies showed that scaffolds incorporated with n-HA had a higher tensile strength than ones
incorporated with n-SiO2. While the hydrophilicity of n-SiO2 incorporated PCEC-CS nanofibers was higher than that of
samples enriched with n-HA. Cell adhesion and proliferation studies showed that n-HA incorporated nanofibers were
slightly superior to n-SiO2 incorporated ones. Alizarin red S staining and QRT-PCR analysis confirmed the osteogenic
differentiation of hDPSCs on PCEC-CS nanofibers incorporated with n-HA and n-SiO2.
CONCLUSION: Compared to other groups, PCEC-CS nanofibers incorporated with 15 wt% n-HA were able to support
more cell adhesion and differentiation, thus are better candidates for bone tissue engineering applications. |