title: Electrospun fibrous scaffolds combined with nanoscale hydroxyapatite induce osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament cells.
abstract: Periodontal repair is a complex process in which regeneration of alveolar bone is a vital component. The aim of this study was to develop a biodegradable scaffold with good biocompatibility and osteoinductive ability. Two types of composite fibrous scaffolds were produced by electrospinning, ie, type I collagen/poly(ε-caprolactone) (COL/PCL) and type I collagen/poly(ε-caprolactone)/nanoscale hydroxyapatite (COL/PCL/nHA) with an average fiber diameter of about 377 nm. After a simulated body fluid (SBF) immersion test, the COL/PCL/nHA-SBF scaffold developed a rough surface because of the calcium phosphate deposited on the fibers, suggesting that the presence of nHA promoted the mineralization potential of the scaffold. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy clearly showed the calcium and phosphorus content in the COL/PCL/nHA and COL/PCL/nHA-SBF scaffolds, confirming the findings of nHA and calcium phosphate precipitation on scanning electron micrographs. Water contact analysis revealed that nHA could improve the hydrophilic nature of the COL/PCL/nHA-SBF scaffold. The morphology of periodontal ligament cells cultured on COL/PCL-SBF and COL/PCL/nHA-SBF was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that cells adhered to either type of scaffold and were slightly spindle-shaped in the beginning, then extended gradually with stretched filopodia, indicating an ability to fill the fiber pores. A Cell Counting Kit-8 assay showed that both scaffolds supported cell proliferation. However, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that expression of the bone-related markers, alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin, was upregulated only on the COL/PCL/nHA-SBF scaffold, indicating that this scaffold had the ability to induce osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament cells. In this study, COL/PCL/nHA-SBF produced by electrospinning followed by biomimetic mineralization had combined electrospun fibers with nHA in it. This scaffold has good biocompatibility and osteoinductive ability as a result of the characteristics of nHA, so could be innovatively applied to periodontal tissue engineering as a potential scaffold.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Hospital of Stomatology, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaonan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cariology and Endodontics, Hospital of Stomatology, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Leiying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.affiliation: Eco-materials and Renewable Energy Research Center, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yingfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Hospital of Stomatology, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wenlei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Hospital of Stomatology, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Hospital of Stomatology, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Hospital of Stomatology, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Weibin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017886:Durapatite / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D010513:Periodontal Ligament / Q000166:cytology*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D017886:Durapatite
keywords: electrospinning; nanoscale hydroxyapatite; periodontal ligament cells