Melt electrospinning writing PCL scaffolds after alkaline modification with outstanding cytocompatibility and osteoinduction

Melt electrospinning writing (MEW) is a promising three-dimensional (3D) printing technology that enables the creation of scaffolds with highly ordered microfibers. Polycaprolactone (PCL) is an ideal material for MEW scaffold fabrication due to its exceptional printability. However, its low cellular affinity can hinder its performance in bone tissue engineering. This study aimed to explore the potential of NaOH treatment as a means of enhancing the cytocompatibility and osteoinductive properties of PCL scaffolds. After modification with a NaOH solution, the physiochemical properties of the MEW PCL scaffold were analyzed. The surface of the scaffold was found to have nanopits and nanogrooves, which differed from the smooth surface of the PCL scaffold. Atomic force microscopy and automatic water contact angle assays revealed an increase in surface roughness and wettability, both of which were found to be beneficial for cell proliferation and adhesion. In vitro experiments demonstrated that the NaOH-treated surface was able to induce osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) via the integrinα2/β1-PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, which had not been previously observed. The study involved implanting PCL scaffold to repair a cranial defect. After 1 and 3 months of implantation, histological analysis and micro-computed tomography scans showed a higher amount of newly formed bone on the NaOH-treated PCL scaffolds compared to the PCL scaffold. The study concluded that NaOH treatment was a simple and effective way to enhance cellular affinity and osteoinductive property of MEW PCL scaffold. This strategy may provide a cost-efficient method for promoting bone regeneration.