Study on 3D printed MXene-berberine-integrated scaffold for photo-activated antibacterial activity and bone regeneration

The repair of mandibular defects is a challenging clinical problem, and associated infections often hinder the treatment, leading to failure in bone regeneration. Herein, a multifunctional platform is designed against the shortages of existing therapies for infected bone deficiency. 2D Ti₃C₂ MXene and berberine (BBR) are effectively loaded into 3D printing biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) scaffolds. The prepared composite scaffolds take the feature of the excellent photothermal capacity of Ti₃C₂ as an antibacterial, mediating NIR-responsive BBR release under laser stimuli. Meanwhile, the sustained release of BBR enhances its antibacterial effect and further accelerates the bone healing process. Importantly, the integration of Ti₃C₂ improves the mechanical properties of the 3D scaffolds, which are beneficial for new bone formation. Their remarkable biomedical performances in vitro and in vivo present the outstanding antibacterial and osteogenic properties of the Ti₃C₂-BBR functionalized BCP scaffolds. The synergistic therapy makes it highly promising for repairing infected bone defects and provides insights into a wide range of applications of 2D nanosheets in biomedicine.