The Influence of Bioglass Nanoparticles on the Biodegradation and Biocompatibility of Poly (3-Hydroxybutyrate) Scaffolds

Abstract

Nanocomposite scaffolds have been developed in order to achieve better mechanical and physiological properties in bone tissue engineering applications. In this study, reinforced poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) composite scaffolds made with different weight ratios of nanobioglass (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 wt%) and various porosities (70, 80 and 90 wt% of NaCl) were prepared by the salt leaching process. The scaffolds were placed in a PBS solution and their weight loss was measured. The biocompatibility of samples was examined in vitro using the MG63 cell line by indirect test, cell proliferation, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assays. Cell attachment on the surface of the scaffolds was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The biodegradation results showed that increasing the volume fraction of porosity and concentration of bioglass nanoparticles enhanced the weight loss of the scaffolds. The cell study demonstrated that a certain concentration of nanobioglass (7.5 wt%) in the scaffolds can significantly improve cell proliferation, inducing better osteoconductivity compared to that of the pure PHB scaffolds and controls. In addition, the SEM results showed high cell attachment on these samples. All these factors indicate that samples with 7.5 wt% nanobioglass are a promising scaffold for bone tissue engineering.