3D-Printed Atsttrin-Incorporated Alginate/Hydroxyapatite Scaffold Promotes Bone Defect Regeneration with TNF/TNFR Signaling Involvement

High expression levels of pro-inflammatory tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α within bone defects can decelerate and impair bone regeneration. However, there are few available bone scaffolds with anti-inflammatory function. The progranulin (PGRN)-derived engineered protein, Atsttrin, is known to exert antagonistic effects on the TNF-α function. Hence, this study investigates whether 3D-printed Atsttrin-incorporated alginate(Alg)/hydroxyapatite(nHAp) scaffolds can facilitate bone healing through affecting the TNF/TNFR signaling. A 3D bioprinting system is used to fabricate Atsttrin-Alg/nHAp composite scaffolds, and the Atsttrin release from this scaffold is characterized, followed by evaluation of its efficacy on bone regeneration both in vitro and in vivo. The 3D-printed Atsttrin-Alg/nHAp scaffold exhibits a precisely defined structure, can sustain Atsttrin release for at least 5 days, has negligible cytotoxicity, and supports cell adhesion. Atsttrin can also attenuate the suppressive effects of TNF-α on BMP-2-induced osteoblastic differentiation in vitro. The 3D-printed Atsttrin-Alg/nHAp scaffold significantly reduces the number of TNF-α positive cells within wound sites, 7 days after post-calvarial defect surgery. Additionally, histological staining and X-ray scanning results also show that the 3D-printed Atsttrin-Alg/nHAp scaffold enhances the regeneration of mice calvarial bone defects. These findings thus demonstrate that the precise structure and anti-inflammatory properties of 3D-printed Atsttrin-Alg/nHAp scaffolds may promote bone defect repair.