Bioactive Glass-Laden Ionically Crosslinked Pectin Microspheres with Pro-osteogenic and Antibacterial Activities for Periodontal Regeneration

Periodontitis, an inflammatory disease primarily driven by bacterial infection, often leads to the destruction of alveolar bone, presenting a major clinical challenge. To address this, the development of biomaterials that not only inhibit bacterial activity but also stimulate osteogenesis has garnered significant attention. In this study, novel nanocomposite pectin hydrogel microspheres were developed to exhibit both antibacterial and pro-osteogenic properties, as a potential solution for bone tissue regeneration. These microspheres were fabricated by integrating SiO 2 -CaO mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBGNs) into pectin hydrogels, followed by cross-linking with either Ca ions or Zn ions. The physicochemical properties, osteogenic potential, and antibacterial efficacy of the resulting microspheres were assessed. The results revealed that the Zn-crosslinked pectin hydrogel microspheres, incorporating MBGNs, exhibited a porous structure with enhanced swelling behavior and slower degradation compared to their Ca-crosslinked counterparts. Notably, these Zn-crosslinked microspheres demonstrated superior antibacterial activity against periodontitis-associated pathogens and significantly promoted osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). These findings underscore the potential of Zn-crosslinked pectin hydrogel microspheres with MBGNs as a promising therapeutic strategy for enhancing bone tissue regeneration in the context of periodontitis.