Enhancement of stem cell differentiation to osteogenic lineage on hydroxyapatite-coated hybrid PLGA/gelatin nanofiber scaffolds

- Biodegradable eletrospun nanofibrous scaffold was prepared.
- Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from adipose tissue and cultured on scaffolds.
- Stem cells on hydroxyapatite-PLGA/gelatin showed greater osteogenic differentiation than PLGA and hybrid PLGA/gelatin.
- Nanofibers prepared from a combination of bioceramic and polymer hold promising potential for bone tissue engineering.

A combination of polymeric materials and bioceramics has recently received a great deal of attention for bone tissue engineering applications. In the present study, hybrid nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated from PLGA and gelatin via electrospinning and then were coated with hydroxyapatite (HA). They were then characterized and used in stem cell culture studies for the evaluation of their biological behavior and osteogenic differentiation in vitro. This study showed that all PLGA, hybrid PLGA/gelatin and HA-PLGA/gelatin scaffolds were composed of ultrafine fibers with smooth morphology and interconnected pores. The MTT assay confirmed that the scaffolds can support the attachment and proliferation of stem cells. During osteogenic differentiation, bone-related gene expression, ALP activity and biomineralization on HA-PLGA/gelatin scaffolds were higher than those observed on other scaffolds and TCPS. PLGA/gelatin electrospun scaffolds also showed higher values of these markers than TCPS. Taking together, it was shown that nanofibrous structure enhanced osteogenic differentiation of adipose-tissue derived stem cells. Furthermore, surface-coated HA stimulated the effect of nanofibers on the commitment of stem cells toward osteolineage. In conclusion, HA-PLGA/gelatin electrospun scaffolds were demonstrated to have significant potential for bone tissue engineering applications.