LIPUS activated piezoelectric pPLLA/SrSiO3 composite scaffold promotes osteochondral regeneration through P2RX1 mediated Ca2+ signaling pathway

Chengxiao Liu; Bin Yu; Zhaowenbin Zhang; Lefeng Su; Ruiqing Wang; Yu Jin; Weiming Guo; Ruomei Li; Zhen Zeng; Peng Mei; Jiang Chang; Lunguo Xia; Chen Yang; Bing Fang

doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2025.123084

LIPUS activated piezoelectric pPLLA/SrSiO₃ composite scaffold promotes osteochondral regeneration through P2RX1 mediated Ca²⁺ signaling pathway

Biomaterials. 2025 Jan 2:317:123084. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2025.123084. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Chengxiao Liu¹, Bin Yu², Zhaowenbin Zhang³, Lefeng Su³, Ruiqing Wang⁴, Yu Jin⁴, Weiming Guo⁴, Ruomei Li⁴, Zhen Zeng⁵, Peng Mei⁴, Jiang Chang³, Lunguo Xia⁶, Chen Yang⁷, Bing Fang⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Orthodontics, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 500 Quxi Road, Shanghai, 200011, China; Joint Centre of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
² State Key Lab for Modification of Chemical Fibers & Polymer Materials, College of Material Science & Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China.
³ Joint Centre of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China; Zhejiang Engineering Research Center for Tissue Repair Materials, Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
⁴ Department of Orthodontics, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 500 Quxi Road, Shanghai, 200011, China.
⁵ Joint Centre of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China; Zhejiang Engineering Research Center for Tissue Repair Materials, Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, 325000, China; Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610000, China.
⁶ Department of Orthodontics, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 500 Quxi Road, Shanghai, 200011, China. Electronic address: xialunguo@hotmail.com.
⁷ Joint Centre of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China; Zhejiang Engineering Research Center for Tissue Repair Materials, Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, 325000, China. Electronic address: cryangchen@ucas.ac.cn.
⁸ Department of Orthodontics, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 500 Quxi Road, Shanghai, 200011, China. Electronic address: fangbing@sjtu.edu.cn.

PMID: 39754966
DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2025.123084

Abstract

Addressing the concurrent repair of cartilage and subchondral bone presents a significant challenge yet is crucial for the effective treatment of severe joint injuries. This study introduces a novel biodegradable composite scaffold, integrating piezoelectric poly-l-lactic acid (pPLLA) with strontium-enriched silicate bioceramic (SrSiO₃). This innovative scaffold continually releases bioactive Sr²⁺ and SiO₃^2- ions while generating an electrical charge under low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) stimulation, a clinically recognized method. The scaffold's unique dual action, emanating both chemical and electrical signals, activates the purinergic receptor P2X 1 (P2RX1) calcium ion channel, promoting an influx of intracellular calcium ions. This process results in a synergistic enhancement of both chondrogenic activities of rat chondrocytes (rCCs) and osteogenic activities of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs). Furthermore, the scaffold's effectiveness in integrating articular cartilage and subchondral bone repair is confirmed in a rat model of joint osteochondral injury. This study thereby offers a groundbreaking approach for treating severe osteoarticular cartilage defects.

Keywords: Composite scaffold; LIPUS; Osteochondral regeneration; Piezoelectric.