Development of novel hybrid nanomaterials with potential application in bone/dental tissue engineering: design, fabrication and characterization enriched-SAPO-34/CS/PANI scaffold

Abstract

Fe-Ca-SAPO-34/CS/PANI, a novel hybrid bio-composite scaffold with potential application in dental tissue engineering, was prepared by freeze drying technique. The scaffold was characterized using FT-IR and SEM methods. The effects of PANI on the physicochemical properties of the Fe-Ca-SAPO-34/CS scaffold were investigated, including changes in swelling ratio, mechanical behavior, density, porosity, biodegradation, and biomineralization. Compared to the Fe-Ca-SAPO-34/CS scaffold, adding PANI decreased the pore size, porosity, swelling ratio, and biodegradation, while increasing the mechanical strength and biomineralization. Cell viability, cytotoxicity, and adhesion of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) on the scaffolds were investigated by MTT assay and SEM. The Fe-Ca-SAPO-34/CS/PANI scaffold promoted hDPSC proliferation and osteogenic differentiation compared to the Fe-Ca-SAPO-34/CS scaffold. Alizarin red staining, alkaline phosphatase activity, and qRT-PCR results revealed that Fe-Ca-SAPO-34/CS/PANI triggered osteoblast/odontoblast differentiation in hDPSCs through the up-regulation of osteogenic marker genes BGLAP, RUNX2, and SPARC. The significance of this study lies in developing a novel scaffold that synergistically combines the beneficial properties of Fe-Ca-SAPO-34, chitosan, and PANI to create an optimized microenvironment for dental tissue regeneration. These findings highlight the potential of the Fe-Ca-SAPO-34/CS/PANI scaffold as a promising biomaterial for dental tissue engineering applications, paving the way for future research and clinical translation in regenerative dentistry.

Keywords:

• Dental pulp stem cells
• silicoaluminophosphate-34
• polyaniline
• metal-loaded zeolite
• dental tissue engineering
• polyaniline
• Fe-Ca-SAPO-34
• chitosan

Authors contribution

GN: Investigation and Methodology; SS: Writing-original draft; MA and KD: Project administration; PN: Data Analysis and Writing - review & editing.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability and materials statement

The datasets used and analyzed during this work are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to thank the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences for financial support.