3D-Printed Drug-Loaded Composite Scaffolds to Promote Osteogenesis and Antibacterial Activity

In order to produce a type of biocomposite, attractive and environmentally friendly biodegradable polymers are used in the field of materials science. Programable three-dimensional (3D) manufacturing technology conjointly provides a green platform to use polylactic acid (PLA) in bone tissue engineering. In this study, we printed PLA, nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA), and β-cyclodextrin/chlorhexidine clathrate (β-CD-CHX) using a 3D printing technique to prepare a porous composite scaffold (PLA/nHA/β-CD-CHX) with osteogenic and anti-infective properties. With scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we confirmed the successful printing of the PLA/nHA/β-CD-CHX and that the β-CD-CHX was uniformly distributed in the scaffold. The in vitro release behavior showed that the dual slow release of PLA/nHA/β-CD-CHX and β-CD-CHX could achieve sustained release of CHX. In addition, in vitro experiments demonstrated that the prepared PLA/nHA/β-CD-CHX exhibited outstanding cytocompatibility and induced osteogenesis. The anti-microbial test against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli demonstrated the outstanding antibacterial properties of the composite scaffold. These findings suggest that the 3D-printed PLA/nHA/β-CD-CHX scaffold has excellent potential for repairing regenerative jaw defects and fighting infections.