Preparation of a novel regenerated silk fibroin-based hydrogel for extrusion bioprinting.

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology, allowing rapid prototyping and personalized customization, has received much attention in recent years, while regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) has also been widely investigated for its excellent biocompatibility, processibility, and comprehensive mechanical properties. However, due to the difficulty in curing RSF aqueous solution and the tendency of conformational transition of RSF chains under shearing, it is rather complicated to fabricate RSF-based materials with high mechanical strength through extrusion bioprinting. To solve this problem, a printable hydrogel with thixotropy was prepared from regenerated silk fibroin with high-molecular-weight (HMWRSF) combined with a small amount of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) in urea containing aqueous solution. It was found that the introduction of urea could not only vary the solid content of the hydrogel to benefit the mechanical properties of the 3D-bioprinted pre-cured hydrogels or 3D-bioprinted sponges, but also expand the "printable window" of this system. Indeed, the printability and rheological properties could be modulated by varying the solid content, the heating time, the urea/HMWRSF weight ratio, etc. Moreover, the microstructure of nanospheres stacked in these lyophilized 3D-bioprinted sponges was interesting to observe, which indicated the existence of microhydrogels and both "the reversible network" and "the irreversible network" in this HMWRSF-based pre-cured hydrogel. Like other HMWRSF materials fabricated in other ways, these 3D-bioprinted HMWRSF-based sponges exhibited good cytocompatibility for dental pulp mesenchymal stem cells. This work may inspire the design of functional HMWRSF-based materials by regulating the relationship between structure and properties.

An interference screw made using a silk fibroin-based bulk material with high content of hydroxyapatite for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in a rabbit model.

Upgradation is still in need for the clinically applied interference screws in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction for more reliable fixation. Silk fibroin bulk materials offer a promising opportunity for this application except lacking osteoinductivity to some extent. Here we report a novel silk-based bulk material with high content of hydroxyapatite-silk fibroin (HA-SF) hybrid particles, which is prepared via a dual-network hydrogel. This composite bulk material possesses a compression modulus of 3.2 GPa, comparable to that of the natural compact bone, and presents satisfactory cytocompatibility and osteoinductivity in vitro when combined with the HA-SF nanoparticles particularly. This composite bulk material shaped into interference screws exhibits remarkable biomechanical properties and significant new-bone ingrowth in the host bone tunnel in a rabbit anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) model at 4 weeks and 12 weeks post-operatively. Moreover, considering that this "hydrogel method" allows the material to be formed in a mold, avoiding complicated post fabrication, it is a potential candidate for clinical translation.

[The effect of fluoride on electrochemical corrosion of the dental pure titanium before and after adhesion of Streptococcus mutans].

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of fluoride on electrochemical corrosion of the dental pure titanium before and after adhesion of Streptococcus mutans. METHODS: The dental pure titanium specimens were tested by electrochemical measurement system including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization curve (PD) methods in artificial saliva with 0 g/L and 1.0 g/L sodium fluoride before and after dipped into culture medium with Streptococcus mutans for 24 h. The corrosion parameters, including the polarization resistance (R(ct)), corrosion potential (E(corr)), pitting breakdown potential (E(b)), and the difference between E(corr) and E(b) representing the "pseudo-passivation" (ΔE) obtained from the electrochemical tests were used to evaluate the corrosion resistance of dental pure titanium. The data were statistically analyzed by 2×2 factorial statistical analysis to examine the effect of sodium fluoride and adhesion of Streptococcus mutans using SPSS 12.0 software package. RESULTS: The results showed that the corrosion parameters including R(ct), Ecorr, E(b), and ΔE of pure titanium had significant difference between before and after adhesion of Streptococcus mutans in the same solution(P<0.05), and in artificial saliva with 0 g/L and 1.0 g/L sodium fluoride(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The dental pure titanium was prone to corrosion in artificial saliva with sodium fluoride. The corrosion resistance of pure titanium decreased distinctly after immersed in culture medium with Streptococcus mutans.

[The effect of fluoride on adhesion of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguis on the dental pure titanium surface].

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the effect of fluoride on adhesion of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguis on the dental pure titanium surface. METHODS: The adhesion of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguis on the dental pure titanium surface were examined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay after soaked in artificial saliva containing different concentrations of sodium fluoride for 24 h. Then the surface roughness and surface morphology of the pure titanium were analyzed by atomic force microscope after bacterial adhesion experiments. The data was statistically analyzed by analysis of variance(ANOVA) with SPSS11.0 software package. RESULTS: After soaked in artificial saliva containing different concentrations of sodium fluoride for 24 h, the sequence of OD values showed the adhesion of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguis on dental pure titanium surface was 0 g/L < 0.5 g/L < 1.0g/L < 2.0 g/L (P<0.05). In addition, the sequence of Ra values showed the surface roughness of pure titanium after bacterial adhesion experiments was 0 g/L < 0.5 g/L < 1.0g/L < 2.0 g/L (P<0.05). And the surface morphology of pure titanium was consistent with the changes of OD value and Ra value. CONCLUSIONS: The results of adhesion of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguis, surface roughness and surface morphology reveal that fluoride aggravates the corrosion of pure titanium, increases the surface roughness, and thus promots the adhesion of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguis on the titanium surface.