Although acute or small bone fractures can generally be cured without any surgical treatment, massive bone defects require orthopedic surgery, which presents huge challenges for patients and orthopedic surgeons. Numerous studies have attempted to develop suitable synthetic materials for bone repair, including polymers, hydrogels, ceramics, and metal scaffolds. The ideal bone graft biomaterial requires various capacities: osteoinductivity, osteoconductivity, proper mechanical property, antibacterial activity, and biocompatibility.

In this study, the release of nitric oxide, which plays an important role in angiogenesis, was induced through zinc oxide, and biomimetic nanoparticles were fabricated by combining BMP2, which can induce bone regeneration, and osteoporosis-resistant alendronate on its surface. To promote osteoporotic bone regeneration, the surface modified zinc oxide was immobilized on a scaffold. In addition, a multifunctional biomimetic polymer scaffold with biocompatibility, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects was developed by adding organic/inorganic extracellular matrix and magnesium hydroxide.

Korean researchers at CHA university developed the nitric oxide-releasing bioinspired scaffold with a ZO/ALN/BMP2. The study was published in the Journal “Advanced Science” in December 29, 2022.

Prof. Han said that “nitric oxide-releasing bioinspired scaffold can be used as a promising biodegradable implant material for osteoporotic bone tissue regeneration.”

Schematic illustration of multi-functional effects of the nitric oxide-releasing bioinspired scaffold for osteoporotic bone regeneration

[Reference] Lee, J.-K., Kim, D.-S., Park, S.-Y., Baek, S.-W., Jung, J.-W., Kim, T.-H., Han, D. K., Nitric Oxide-Releasing Bioinspired Scaffold for Exquisite Regeneration of Osteoporotic Bone via Regulation of Homeostasis. Adv. Sci. 2022, 2205336. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202205336

[Main Author] Jun-Kyu Lee (CHA university), Da-Seul Kim (Chung-Ang university)

* Contact email : Professor Dong Keun Han (dkhan@cha.ac.kr)