A three-dimensional-printed SPION/PLGA scaffold for enhanced palate-bone regeneration and concurrent alteration of the oral microbiota in rats

• Published in: Materials Science & Engineering C 2021-07, Vol.126, p.112173-112173, Article 112173
• Main Authors: Jia, Lu, Yang, Zukun, Sun, Liuxu, Zhang, Qian, Guo, Yu, Chen, Yulian, Dai, Yang, Xia, Yang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3D printing; Antibacterial activity; Antiinfectives and antibacterials; Biomaterials; Biomedical materials; Bone biomaterials; Bone growth; Bone regeneration; Coatings; Flora; Gene sequencing; Hepcidin; Immune system; In vivo; Iron oxides; Materials science; Microbiota; Microenvironments; Microorganisms; Nanoparticles; Oral microbiota; Palate; Polylactide-co-glycolide; Regeneration; Regeneration (physiology); rRNA; Scaffolds; Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle; Surgical implants; Three dimensional composites; Three dimensional printing
• ISSN: 0928-4931; 1873-0191
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2021.112173

Scaffold implantation for the repair of oral bone defects involves an interplay between the scaffold biomaterial and the microenvironment. However, previous studies on this subject have only considered the effects of the immune system and largely ignored those of the oral microbiota. Accordingly, in the present study, we prepared composite scaffolds comprising a three-dimensional poly(l-lactide-co-glycolide) matrix with a superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION) coating and used a rat model to evaluate their palate-bone-regenerating effects and their interaction with the oral microbiota. It was found that the SPION coated scaffold induced better bone regeneration than that achieved by the controls. Furthermore, it significantly decreased the operational taxonomic units (OTU) numbers as determined by 16 s rRNA gene sequencing, and also resulted in decreased Chao and ACE alpha diversity indexes compared with those of the controls. However, it had no effect on beta diversity. SPION coated scaffolds caused a shift in oral bacterial composition characterized by a decrease in the Clostridium spp. population, and the dominant flora being Proteobacteria. Furthermore, SPION coated scaffolds upregulated the concentration of serum iron, hepcidin, and P1NP. Thus, SPION coated scaffolds enhanced bone regeneration, and this effect was partly related to alteration of the oral microbiota by the antibacterial effects of SPION. Our findings provide a better understanding of the role of oral microbiota in oral bone regeneration and how SPION coated scaffolds can be used to enhance it. [Display omitted] •The implantation of SPION coated PLGA scaffolds enhanced palate-bone regeneration.•The implantation of SPION coated PLGA scaffolds altered oral microbiota in rats.•The alteration of oral microbiota was due to the antibacterial effects of SPION.•The alteration of oral microbiota was good for palate-bone regeneration.