Multi-element processed pyritum mixed to β-tricalcium phosphate to obtain a 3D-printed porous scaffold: An option for treatment of bone defects

• DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2021.112326
• Publication Date: 2021-07-17T06:32:15Z
• Authors: Dan Wang; Jingxia Hou; Chenjie Xia; Chenxu Wei; Yuan Zhu; Weiwei Qian; Shuyang Qi; Yu Wu; Yun Shi; Kunming Qin; Li Wu; Fangzhou Yin; Zhipeng Chen; Weidong Li
• Keywords: Calcium Phosphates; 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; Tissue Scaffolds; Printing, Three-Dimensional; Humans; Porosity; 3. Good health

Bone defects remain a challenging problem for doctors and patients in clinical practice. Processed pyritum is a traditional Chinese medicine that is often used to clinically treat bone fractures. It contains mainly Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, and other elements. In this study, we added the extract of processed pyritum to β-tricalcium phosphate and produced a porous composite TPP (TCP/processed pyritum) scaffold using digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing technology. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that TPP scaffolds contained interconnected pore structures. When compared with TCP scaffolds (1.35 ± 0.15 MPa), TPP scaffolds (5.50 ± 0.24 MPa) have stronger mechanical strength and can effectively induce osteoblast proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization in vitro. Meanwhile, the in vivo study showed that the TPP scaffold had better osteogenic capacity than the TCP scaffold. Furthermore, the TPP scaffold had good biosafety after implantation. In summary, the TPP scaffold is a promising biomaterial for the clinical treatment of bone defects.